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Trump says he'd 'love' to have Sen John Fetterman as a Republican amid growing speculation
Confirmed
In Short: President Trump publicly encouraged Senator John Fetterman to switch to the Republican Party, despite Fetterman's stated commitment to the Democrats.
President Donald Trump publicly urged Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) to join the Republican Party, weeks before the midterm elections that could determine control of Congress.
Trump's comments came during a Tennessee rally, where he told reporters, "I’d love to see him as a Republican," referring to Fetterman.
Fetterman, who joined the Senate in 2023, has voted with Senate Democrats nearly 90% of the time, according to a Fox News report.
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Fetterman addressed the speculation, stating, “If I change my party spontaneously right now, my views and votes aren’t going to change. It would really be more of a statement than anything else.”
Trump described Fetterman as a “great guy” with “magnificent parents,” whom he said he had spoken with previously. The president also suggested that switching parties could benefit Fetterman politically.
A Quinnipiac University poll found that 52% of Pennsylvania voters want Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party, while a Washington Times report noted that roughly 72% of Republican voters in Pennsylvania have a favorable opinion of Fetterman, compared to only 13% of Democrats.
McCormick, in an August interview on WABC radio, noted that Fetterman votes with Democrats 93% to 95% of the time, indicating his strong alignment with the party.
Despite this, Fetterman’s recent actions have fueled speculation about his political direction. He has occasionally broken with Democrats on key issues, such as the Iran war and immigration, although he continues to vote with his party the vast majority of the time.
Trump’s characterization of Fetterman doing “better” as a Republican is not out of the blue, as a recent poll found the senator is performing well among GOP voters.
Fetterman has maintained that he plans to stay with the Democratic Party, despite occasional forays into the GOP sphere. He has also called support for Israel a non-negotiable priority, characterizing any anti-Israel policies in the Democratic Party or severing of aid as a “red line.”
The president called Fetterman “a very solid person” who is smart and has “great common sense.” Fetterman, however, clarified that he is a “lifelong Democrat.”
Fetterman’s potential switch to the Republican Party could have significant political implications. A 51-seat Democratic majority could give Fetterman significant leverage as a potential swing vote, reducing his incentive to leave the party.
Background
President Trump publicly encouraged Sen. John Fetterman to switch to the Republican Party, despite Fetterman's stated commitment to the Democrats.
What's confirmed
- "He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat."
- Baritomo and Fetterman were discussing the current war in Iran, when she made the segway.
- Fetterman appeared on “Sunday Morning Futures,” hosted by Maria Baritomo on Sunday (July 19), which airs on Fox News.
- In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Fetterman touched on his possible exit, while stating that “if I change my party spontaneously right now, my views and votes aren’t going to change,” saying that it would “really be more of a statement” than anything else.
- Recent comments from Democratic Senator John Fetterman during a television appearance have left him open to high criticism, particularly for his apparent devotion to Israel and his ties to the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
- “It’s going to be hard for him to get the nomination as a Democrat, but I’d love to have him as a Republican,” Mr. Trump said, citing public polls showing Mr. Fetterman has more support among Republicans than Democrats.
What's still developing
- Fetterman laughed it off, and they joked about how the comment would be clipped and splattered around the internet.
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- “I got to speak to his parents about something, and they were great — the mother, the father,” the president said, without elaborating on the topic of the conversation.