"I would be happy to see him become a Republican." In October 2026, just weeks before the midterm elections, Trump suddenly addressed Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a Democrat, at the Andrews Air Force Base. What makes this senator so special that he elicits Trump's "desire for talent"?
Fetterman was born on August 15, 1969, in Reading, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Albright College and worked at UPS alongside members of the truck driver union. In 1999, he earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Subsequently, he came to the decaying steel town of Braddock as a volunteer, initially just to establish an GED (General Educational Development Certificate) program.
In 2005, while teaching GED courses, his students encouraged him to run for mayor. The following year, he was elected mayor of Braddock and served in that position for 13 years, until he became vice governor of Pennsylvania in 2019.
In Brattleboro, Fettman created a unique public image. He is about 2 meters tall, shaves his head, has a goatee, and his arms are covered in tattoos. He lives in a house converted from a car dealership, wearing short-sleeved sweatshirts and workwear shorts as he moves between town hall buildings. He was arrested for protesting the closure of local hospitals, and presided over weddings for same-sex couples when same-sex marriage was not yet legalized. This deliberate "anti-elite" attitude made him a target of media attention, with his appearances appearing in mainstream publications such as Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and The New York Times, as well as on the comedy channel's show "Colbert Report."
John Fetterman at the Capitol Building Visual China
In 2022, Fetman decided to run for federal senator, challenging the Republican incumbent, Mohammed Ozz. However, just four days before the Democratic primary elections, he suffered a nearly fatal stroke. His family later revealed that they had to “lie” to get him to the hospital, as he stubbornly refused medical treatment.
In his memoir “Unfettered,” published in 2025, Fetterman admitted that, looking back, he “should have quit” that campaign. But at that time, he chose to continue, and eventually defeated Oz with a significant margin of votes, turning the critical seat “blue” and making a significant contribution to securing a Democratic majority in the Senate. The cost of this victory was high: a hearing impairment caused by a stroke severely affected his communication abilities, and he suffered from severe clinical depression during and after the campaign. In February 2023, he was hospitalized at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for more than 40 days. In his book, he wrote, “My brain is on fire again.”
This experience made Fetman one of the few serving senators in American politics who openly discusses mental health issues. He formed a mental health caucus in the Senate and has repeatedly encouraged others who struggle with mental illnesses to ‘stay in the game’.
However, what really made Fetman the focus of news headlines between 2025 and 2026 was not his health struggles, but the growing rift between him and the Democrats.
According to The Associated Press, during the 2022 elections, Fetman ran as a progressive candidate, advocating for marijuana legalization, stronger union rights, and LGBTQ+ protections, as well as criminal justice reforms. However, once he entered the Senate, he shifted towards positions that aligned with those of the Republican Party on a series of key issues. This led many Democrats who supported him to feel betrayed.
The Israeli issue is at the heart of Fettman’s break with the mainstream of the Democratic Party. He is a staunch supporter of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, having openly stated that “continuing to kill Hamas leaders is a good thing.” In July 2026, he even said in an interview with CNN: “If the Democratic Party becomes a formal anti-Israel party, then it will be time for me to leave.” He criticized progressive candidates within the party as being “extremely anti-Israel,” and even used vulgar language to describe some of these candidates.
Regarding the Iranian issue, Fetman also voted against the “War Powers Resolution” in several Senate votes. This resolution aims to limit or end Trump’s military actions against Iran. Media outlets such as the New York Times pointed out that he was the only Democrat in the Senate to stand with Republicans during such crucial votes, and his votes often became decisive against the resolution. According to incomplete statistics, the Senate attempted at least 12 times to pass such restrictive laws, and Fetman always voted against them.
Fetman spoke to reporters about the U.S. actions against Iran. Visual China.
On issues related to immigration and law enforcement, Fetman also deviated from the mainstream stance of Democrats. As a senior member of the Border Management Subcommittee in the Senate Homeland Security Committee (and the minority leader), he advocated for strong border enforcement, stating that “opening borders would lead to chaos, and it is not a compassionate action.”
In September 2026, Fetterman also spoke at the Republican National Convention. In a video released by American media, he praised Trump for his support of steel workers and promised to support Trump on steel-related issues. However, after the video was broadcast, Fetterman quickly issued a statement emphasizing that he remained a “lifelong Democrat.” Fox News reported that he explained this move was mainly to support his Pennsylvania-based friend McCormick: “Although we belong to different parties, we are both part of the ‘Team PA’.”
These positions made him one of the Democratic senators who voted most strongly in favor of Trump in 2025, although this ‘most’ support rate was only 26% – meaning that he still has about three-quarters of the time to vote in his party’s position.
The deterioration of Fetman’s relationship with Democratic voters is clearly reflected in poll data.
According to a joint poll by The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer in August 2026, Fetman's popularity among Democratic voters in Pennsylvania has dropped to 22%, with disapproval rates reaching 69%. In contrast, his popularity among Republican voters has soared to 73%. As a result, his overall support rate remains around 46%, which is almost the same as the 48% recorded in May 2024. This indicates that although there has been a shift in the structure of his voter base, the total number of supporters has not significantly decreased.
A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University in July 2026 showed that 57% of Democratic voters in Pennsylvania believed that Fetterman should leave the Democratic Party. If re-election elections were held that year, 75% of Democratic voters said they would vote for another candidate, and nearly half said they would "definitely" oppose him.
Fetman's unique political position makes him a target for Trump and Republicans who are actively trying to win his support. In 2026, Trump offered Fetman direct offers at least twice.
The first attempt to secure support occurred in March 2026. The American magazine Politico revealed that Fox News host Sean Hannity acted as an intermediary, conveying Trump’s verbal promise to Fetterman. According to Hannity, Trump said, "Tell him that if he runs as a Republican, we will give him our full support. We will provide him with more funding than he can imagine, and he will win by a large margin."
The second effort to recruit him was even more public. On October 10, 2026, Trump stated in an interview at Andrews Air Force Base that “I would be happy to see him become a Republican. He performs better as a Republican than as a Democrat.” This statement came just weeks before the midterm elections, and was described by several American media as “one of Trump’s most direct public gestures in trying to recruit Fertman to the Republican Party.”
The Republican Party’s outreach to Fetterman is not Trump’s “one-man show”. According to The Washington Observer, Senate Majority Leader John Tumn publicly stated that he “would be happy to welcome him into the Republican conference”. The Hill also reported that Pennsylvania Republican Senator Dave McCormick has established close working relations with Fetterman, and the two even collaborated to form a joint fundraising committee. Fetterman also recorded a video for the Republican Party’s midterm campaign, praising McCormick as “a great American” and hinting at “extremism” within the Democratic Party.
Senate Majority Leader John Tunn Visual China
However, Fetterman himself has repeatedly rejected the possibility of switching parties. In an article published in The Washington Post, he wrote that he would be a “poor Republican” who would still overwhelmingly vote with Democrats. His independent voting decisions are primarily based on personal beliefs—especially his strong support for Israel—rather than an overall endorsement of Trump’s agenda.
In Trump's signature domestic legislation, Fetman is a staunch opponent. He voted against the Trump tax and spending plan, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill," arguing against the cuts to Medicaid and food stamp programs. He even called the bill a "disaster."
Fetterman's senator term ends in 2028. However, according to CNN, despite not having officially announced whether he would seek a second term, the Democratic candidate from Pennsylvania is already preparing for a "shadow primary."
Several potential candidates have come to light. Chris Dluzzi, a federal representative from Pittsburgh, is seen as the strongest contender. He has support from both Governor Josh Shapiro’s camp and Senator Bernie Sanders’ progressive faction—this cross-party appeal is crucial in the primary elections. Representative Breandan Boyle from Philadelphia and former Representative Conor Lamb (who lost to Fertman in the 2022 primary) are also among the candidates under consideration.
Boyer told CNN bluntly, “I see no possibility for Fetterman to become a Democratic candidate for the 2028 Senate election.” This judgment is widely agreed upon within the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania. Analysts generally believe that Fetterman’s low support among Democratic voters makes it extremely difficult for him to win the 2028 Democratic primary elections.
Meanwhile, the Democratic leadership in the Senate has mixed feelings about Fetterman. On one hand, they avoid openly antagonizing him, fearing that he might switch parties at a critical moment and help the Republicans maintain their majority. On the other hand, he rarely attends party dinner meetings and committee hearings, and the frequent turnover of staff members makes it difficult for party colleagues to establish effective working relationships with him.
In fact, Fetman’s future political influence depends on a variable that he cannot control: the distribution of seats in the Senate.
According to 《Politico》 and The Associated Press, if the Democrats regain a majority in the 2026 midterm elections by a narrow margin (for example, 51 seats against 49), Fertman’s position as a ‘key swing vote’ could actually strengthen his motivation to stay within the Democratic party. This is because changing parties could reduce his influence as a key voter. American analysts point out that this situation ‘could put Fertman in an influential position, thereby reducing his motivation to change parties.’
Conversely, if the Republican Party maintains or expands its majority, Fetman’s value to Trump will truly be highlighted. He can provide additional votes for the Republican Party on specific issues, especially in votes where there are divisions within the party. However, this cooperation will “be limited to specific issues, not a complete alliance.”
