What's New
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman drew ire from critics after saying he was "not rooting against" Donald Trump, adding that the president-elect had "political talent that's undeniable."
In an interview on ABC's This Week on Sunday, the congressman criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for describing Trump as fascist during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Newsweek contacted the office of John Fetterman and the Democratic National Committee for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Trump's decisive victory has prompted significant introspection in the Democratic Party. Fetterman has been one of the most prominent Democrats to criticize Harris' campaign and its rhetoric surrounding Trump. Fetterman, who as a senator will vote on whether to confirm Trump's Cabinet picks, is also one of few Democrats who have met some of them, including Kash Patel, the pick for FBI director who in past remarks said he would target the president-elect's political enemies.
What To Know
Several critics compared Fetterman to outgoing Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party after criticizing its leadership. Journalist Mehdi Hasan said that Fetterman was continuing a "pretty shameless and now pretty predictable Sinema-esque journey," in his comments.
"I'm not rooting against him," the Democratic senator said in his interview on ABC. "If you're rooting against the president, you are rooting against the nation. And and I'm not ever going to be where I want a president to fail. So, country first. I know that's become maybe like a cliché, but it happens to be true."
It's not the first time Fetterman has drawn ire with his public stances. A pro-Democrat PAC even said that Fetterman had "betrayed" it due to his vocal support of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
In March, the No Dem Left Behind PAC wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We deeply regret supporting Senator John Fetterman he betrayed all of us."
In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack, which left around 1,200 people in Israel dead and saw more than 200 hostages kidnapped and taken back to Gaza, Fetterman released a statement saying: "I also fully support Israel neutralizing the terrorists responsible for this barbarism."
In January, Fetterman had been filmed waving an Israeli flag at pro-Palestinian demonstrators who were protesting outside his home in Braddock, near Pittsburgh.
What People Are Saying
Speaking on ABC, John Fetterman said: "He literally was shot in the head and had the presence of mind to respond 'fight, fight, fight'. That's a political talent that's undeniable.
"And also, I never believed it was about fascism—for me that made it difficult. It's not a word that I would use, because a lot of Democrats that I know were going to vote for Trump, and they are not fascists. It's not a word that regular people use. I think people are going to decide who is the candidate that is going to protect and project my version of the American way of life."
Former Republican Representative Joe Walsh said: "This is such dangerous normalizing of Trump. Trump lies every time he opens his mouth, he tried to overthrow an American election, he believes he's above the law, he wants to jail his political opponents, and you call that 'undeniable political talent?' Come on man."
Sophia A. Nelson, an author and Forbes contributor, wrote on X: "Senator Fetterman is a disgrace...And he wants to be MAGA badly—so have at it. Bye."
Former prosecutor, host of The Romano Report on YouTube and self-described never-Trumper, Mark Romano posted on X: If John Fetterman wants to position himself as a moderate, fine. But that doesn't mean you have to kiss Trump's a** by praising him as a political genius and vote confirm Kash Patel. That is something else entirely."
What Happens Next
Democrats will continue to analyze their defeat in 2024 throughout the coming year, as Trump prepares to return to the White House on January 20. Confirmation hearings for Cabinet picks are expected after the new Republican Senate is sworn in on January 3 and Trump is inaugurated.
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