Fetterman Responds To Reports He’s Considering Switch To GOP
Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman has addressed circulating rumors in Washington, D.C., and online that he intends to change his party affiliation to the GOP.
“That’s not going to happen,” Fetterman confirmed in an interview with Semafor on Monday.
“That’s amateur hour s**t,” he remarked. “If they think, ‘oh, it’s going to be like a Manchin or a Sinema play,’ that’s just not true, and that’s not going to happen.”
He was referencing former Senators Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who famously left the Democratic Party to become Independents while continuing to caucus with the Democrats.
“It’s not gonna happen,” Fetterman reiterated. “And even if I wanted to do that, that is a rocket sled to Palookaville to try to switch. I would make a pretty bad Republican.”
Fetterman has recently drawn attention due to his visit to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting with President Donald Trump, his collaboration with Republicans on the Laken Riley Act, and his outspoken support for Israel.
The senator has also been vocal about reshaping the Democratic Party’s approach to Trump, urging his colleagues to adopt a more measured response to the former president’s actions and to consider his nominees with an open mind.
Despite these moderate positions, Fetterman has made it clear—especially to Democratic leaders in Congress—that he has no intention of switching parties, Semafor reported.
Fetterman further stirred conversations within his party after meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago prior to Trump’s inauguration. Following the meeting, Trump shared details during an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner.
“It was a totally fascinating meeting,” Trump said. “He’s a fascinating man, and his wife is lovely. … I couldn’t be more impressed.”
Topics discussed included safeguarding the U.S. steel industry—a critical issue for Pennsylvania—and supporting Israel in its conflict with Hamas. They also reportedly talked about Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States.
“He’s a common-sense person. He’s not liberal or conservative,” Trump said about Fetterman.
The senator explained his rationale for accepting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago invitation, stating, “We are going to have a conversation.”
“He’s the president, or he will be officially,” Fetterman told CBS News. “And I think it’s pretty reasonable that if the president would like to have a conversation—or invite someone to have a conversation—to have it. And no one is my gatekeeper.”
Fetterman emphasized his role as a representative for all Pennsylvanians, saying, “I’ve been very clear that I have ongoing conversations with people that are going to have an impact on Pennsylvania and for the nation. And I am a senator for Pennsylvania, not just for Democrats. I am a senator for everyone in Pennsylvania.”
When asked about Trump’s controversial Greenland proposal, Fetterman didn’t dismiss it outright. “I have no idea what’s going to exactly come up. So, I mean, regardless of whatever comes up, that’s going to be part of the conversation,” he told CBS News.
He later joked with reporters about the meeting, quipping, “I’m angling to be named the pope of Greenland.”
In December, Fetterman criticized former House Speaker and California Representative Nancy Pelosi for the Democratic Party’s setbacks.
During an interview with Politico, he said, “People like [Nancy] Pelosi, she really tried to—what’s the word I’m looking for?—she embraced this ‘she’s the godmother, she’s the enforcer.’ And now she’s blaming Biden.”
“Well, you can’t have it both ways. You got what you wanted,” he added, referring to Biden’s removal and Kamala Harris’s elevation. “And now you’re still blaming Biden.”