Trump says he'd 'love' to have Sen. John Fetterman as a Republican amid growing speculation
President Trump Says He’d Welcome Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman into the GOP
After stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday, President Donald J. Trump told a reporter he would welcome Sen. John Fetterman, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, into the Republican Party. Trump said the Pennsylvania lawmaker is a “great guy” and that a switch could help Fetterman win a national election.
“I’d love to see it. I think he’s great,” Trump told the reporter. “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 that Fetterman is “very solid,” “smart” and has “great common sense.” He also suggested the switch could be politically advantageous. “If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat,” Trump said.
Fetterman has become a frequent target of speculation about a party switch after a series of votes that diverged from the Democratic line. The senator, who joined the Senate in 2023, has voted with Democrats roughly 90 % of the time since taking office. In the current congressional session that figure has dropped to about 81 %. His most visible break‑away moments have involved the U.S. stance on the Iran war and immigration policy.
While a handful of his votes have aligned with Republicans, Fetterman has continued to vote with his own party the vast majority of the time. He has, however, used Republican‑aligned fundraising platforms to solicit donations and maintains a close friendship with Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama.
Last month, Fetterman recorded a video introducing Republican Sen. Dave McCormick at the Republican Midterm Convention. Earlier that month he made a misstep at the Texas Tribune’s TribFest, when he mistakenly told an attendee that he had been a “lifelong Republican.” “Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” Fetterman said, before realizing the error. He added, “I guarantee you that will break through. That will get clipped.”
Trump’s comments come amid a broader national conversation about party realignment. Some observers see Fetterman’s occasional departures from Democratic positions as a sign that he could be comfortable in a Republican environment, while others argue that his voting record still ties him to his party’s core platform.
The Biden administration, which has a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, has not yet issued a response to Trump’s remarks. Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman’s office for comment but has not received a reply. The senator’s official position on a potential party switch remains unchanged.