Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) says there’s one issue that could drive him to walk away from the Democrat Party altogether.
During a Wednesday night interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Fetterman said he would leave the party if Democrats officially embraced an anti-Israel platform that denied the Jewish state’s right to exist or defend itself.
“My real concern is the Democratic Party is going to put it into the platform, you know, as an anti-Israel party, that Israel does not have the right to defend itself and to exist,” Fetterman said. “And the second that becomes a formal part of our platform, that’s the one thing that would push me out of this party,” according to Mediaite.
The Pennsylvania Democrat, who has emerged as one of Israel’s strongest defenders in Congress since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, warned that he believes hostility toward Israel is becoming increasingly mainstream within his party. (RELATED: John Fetterman Makes Unusual Offer To Scandal-Plagued Senate Candidate Amid Questions Over Inappropriate Online Behavior)
Fetterman added he is concerned the Democratic Party could formally adopt an anti-Israel platform that questions Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.
“I’m deeply alarmed by the way the Democratic Party is going after Israel and allowing just rank anti-Semitism to just flourish, you know, on the left and on the campuses too.”
The senator’s comments came as Hannity questioned him about a growing wave of progressive and democratic socialist candidates defeating establishment Democrats in recent primaries. Several of those campaigns have centered on opposition to U.S. military support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. (RELATED: Democratic Socialist Unseats 30-Year Congresswoman Despite 9/11 Remarks)
Fetterman argued that many of the party’s rising stars share what he described as “contempt for Israel,” which he said is “essentially” anti-Semitism.
The remarks are likely to reignite speculation about Fetterman’s long-term political future.
The senator has repeatedly broken with fellow Democrats on several high-profile issues, including border security, support for Israel, and criticism of the party’s progressive wing. His willingness to challenge Democratic orthodoxy has fueled months of speculation that he could eventually leave the party, with some Republicans openly encouraging him to switch sides.
Fetterman has consistently rejected those suggestions.
Earlier this year, he insisted he had “no plans” to become a Republican, arguing that while he often disagrees with his party’s direction, his voting record remains overwhelmingly Democratic. He has instead described himself as an “independent voice” within the party rather than someone looking to join the GOP.
Even so, Fetterman’s latest comments underscore the growing divide between the Pennsylvania senator and the Democratic Party’s increasingly influential progressive faction.
For now, he says he’s staying put.
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