Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, will meet with President-elect Donald Trump, his office confirmed to Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Fetterman's meeting comes as some Democrats are changing their strategy in dealing with Trump during his second term. Democrats were more reluctant to meet with him after his election in 2016, when they instead focused their efforts on resisting his policies.
The Pennsylvania senator is the second prominent Democrat to meet with the president-elect in recent weeks, after Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser.
What to Know
Fetterman confirmed the meeting in a statement to Newsweek Thursday afternoon.
"President Trump invited me to meet, and I accepted. I'm the senator for all Pennsylvanians—not just Democrats in Pennsylvania," he wrote. "I've been clear that no one is my gatekeeper. I will meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps me deliver for Pennsylvania and the nation."
Fetterman told CBS News he believes it is "pretty reasonable that if the president would like to have a conversation—or invite someone to have a conversation—to have it."
CBS News also reported the meeting would take place at Mar-a-Lago, making him the first sitting Democrat to visit Trump at his Florida residence.
Fetterman represents a state Trump narrowly carried in his race against Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump won Pennsylvania, likely to remain an electoral battleground for years to come, by about 2 percentage points. Fetterman was elected in 2022, winning by nearly 5 points against Trump-backed Mehmet Oz.
Fetterman has positioned himself as a Democrat who is more willing to work with the incoming administration. He earlier met with Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick to lead the Department of Defense, who has faced criticism from other Democrats. He co-sponsored the GOP-supported Laken Riley Act, which requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of people illegally in the U.S. and detain them over theft-related crimes.
Bowser, the Democratic mayor of D.C., met with Trump at the end of December to discuss "shared priorities" for his second term.
"We discussed areas for collaboration between local and federal government, especially around our federal workforce, underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure," she said in a statement at the time.
"I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the President during his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20," the mayor said.
What People Are Saying
Igor Bobic, a HuffPostreporter, said on X (formerly Twitter): "Fetterman isn't up for reelection till 2028 and already very busy reinventing himself as MAGA friendly."
Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec said on X: "Fetterman thing is such an obvious op."
Decision Desk HQ contributor Nick Field said on X: "A testament to John Fetterman's fundamentally contrarian nature that his explanation for meeting Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago was basically 'no one tells me what to do.'"
What Happens Next
Fetterman did not say when the meeting with Trump would take place. Meanwhile, the president-elect will be inaugurated on January 20.
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