John Fetterman sets 'red line' that could make him leave Democratic Party

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen John Fetterman (D-PA) told Fox News that there is a “red line” that would lead him to abandon the Democratic Party, including a vote by other Senate Democrats to name Sen Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) majority leader. Host Kayleigh McEnany asked Fetterman several times during a 'Saturday in America' interview on Saturday, november 14, about abandoning the Democratic Party․

Fetterman did not make a formal commitment to switch parties but said he is a Democrat․ The interview took place as Democrats‚ now the majority party in the Senate following the midterm elections‚ planned to choose Senate leadership‚ including Van Hollen‚ who is running for the top job․

John Fetterman makes the red line

McEnany asked whether there was a point at which Fetterman would walk away if the party moved far left.

“Is there a red line for you if the party does go far left that you would walk away?” McEnany asked Fetterman.

"Yeah, absolutely. It would be troubling if my caucus elects someone like Van Hollen, that has really made his name being very hostile to Israel. If you are going to be angry or hostile towards any countries in the region, why not make that, you know, Iran? Or Hezbollah? Or Hamas as well too?" Fetterman said.

"And now why both in the House and in the Senate, their first instincts are to punish Israel and the withhold this kinds of aid? Why? Why isn’t it your first instinct to say, let’s hold Iran accountable? Now, I’m frustrated by the gas prices, you know, and it’s terrible that Americans have to suffer," he added.

Fetterman argued that Democrats should direct their anger elsewhere in the region.

A difficult stretch with his party

McEnany then asked directly whether Fetterman might leave the party if Van Hollen became majority leader.

“So there’s a chance you could walk away from the Democratic Party if Van Hollen was majority leader?” she asked.

“Well, I don’t know how that’s going to look, but I am a Democrat,” Fetterman said. “I’ve always said that. You know, I really stopped giving interviews before the midterms because there’s a lot of bad, stupid takes and saying things. I knew that the majorities would change, but no one, not one single person thought that Kansas or South Carolina or Mississippi [would change].”

Fetterman has had conflicts with Democrats for years․

He is an open supporter of Israel and a frequent Fox News guest․

Pennsylvania Democrats’ approval of Fetterman has plummeted‚ according to a poll conducted earlier this year and reported by CNN․ Pennsylvania Gov․ Josh Shapiro said this week on “Meet the Press” that there is “no question” Democrats are “lining up” to challenge Fetterman in the 2028 primary‚ according to NBC News․

Mediaite has reported that Fetterman recently criticized his party’s efforts to oust Sen Chuck Schumer‚ asking‚ “Can’t we just take the win?”