Trump Says He Would Welcome Sen. John Fetterman to Republican Party
Former president praises Pennsylvania Democrat as a "great guy" amid speculation about his political alignment.
President Donald Trump stated Saturday that he would "love to have" Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., join the Republican Party, calling the Pennsylvania Democrat a "great guy" with "magnificent parents" and "great common sense."
Trump made the remarks to a reporter after arriving at Joint Base Andrews. When asked if he had spoken to Fetterman about switching parties and if he would welcome such a move, Trump responded, "I'd love to see it. I think he's great."
"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," Trump added. He suggested that a party switch could be politically beneficial for Fetterman, noting, "If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat."
The former president's comments come amid growing speculation about Fetterman's political leanings. The senator has, at times, broken with his Democratic colleagues on significant issues, including the Iran war and immigration policy. While Fetterman votes with Senate Democrats the vast majority of the time, his voting record shows a divergence from the party line in the current session of Congress, falling to just under 81% from nearly 90% since he joined the Senate in 2023.
These occasional deviations have fueled conjecture about a potential party switch. Reports indicate Fetterman has utilized Republican fundraising platforms and maintains a friendship with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. Last month, he introduced Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., at the Republican Midterm Convention.
Further adding to the speculation, Fetterman recently made a slip of the tongue at the Texas Tribune's TribFest, referring to himself as a "lifelong Republican" before quickly correcting himself. When asked by an attendee why he did not run as an independent, Fetterman replied, "Because I'm a lifelong Republican," before acknowledging the remark would likely be amplified.
Fetterman's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.