President Trump publicly encouraged Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) to switch parties and join the Republicans, telling reporters at Joint Base Andrews that he would “love to see him as a Republican” and that Fetterman “does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.” The comments, which also praised the senator’s common sense, quickly circulated on X after a video of the remarks was posted. Online users reacted by pointing to Fetterman’s voting record, with many noting that he continues to side with Democrats on the vast majority of votes.
The video shows President Trump speaking to reporters after stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. In the clip, Trump says, “I’d love to see him as a Republican” and “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.” He continues, “I’d love to see it. I think he’s great,” and “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 also describes Fetterman as “a great guy with magnificent parents” and states, “He’s smart. He’s got great common sense.”
The accompanying post text notes that despite some common sense, Fetterman “STILL VOTES WITH SCHUMER” and suggests a party switch might lead to a rapid change in his voting. According to news reports, Fetterman has previously rejected the idea of switching parties, writing in The Washington Post in May that he would be a “terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”
Reports also indicate he has voted with Democrats roughly 81 to 90 percent of the time depending on the measure used, while breaking with his party on issues such as immigration and Israel. Some Republican figures have indicated they would welcome him, and polling has shown higher favorability among Pennsylvania Republicans than among Democrats.
Online Reactions to Trump’s Call for Sen. Fetterman to Switch Parties
Many users focused on Fetterman’s voting record and questioned whether a switch would change his positions. One commenter wrote, “No way. He’s too aligned with democrats in ideology. He’d vote against us like all the RINOs we can’t get rid of.”
Another stated, “Fetterman talks like a Republican but votes Democrat well over 90% of the time,” while a third added, “Fetterman says one thing but votes with the Democrats. … He would just be another RINO.”
Some expressed similar doubts, with one noting, “Why? He likes Israel other than that he almost always sides with the left. He’s not a republican lol,” and another saying, “Why? He would just be labeled as a Rino. We actually need more of his kind with the democrats.”
A smaller number of replies simply agreed with the post or pointed to potential strategic value, with one user writing that if Trump is looking to gain an extra senator before 2028, “I applaud him; it’s a smart move.”
It remains unclear whether the remarks will lead to any further movement by Fetterman on a party switch. The video continues to circulate as part of the ongoing discussion around the senator’s voting record and his standing with both parties.
