John Fetterman Defends Breaking with Democrats, Backs Trump on Border, Antisemitism [WATCH]

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania doubled down on his willingness to break with the Democratic Party during a forum hosted by Fox News anchor Shannon Bream, where he appeared alongside his Republican colleague, Senator Dave McCormick.

The two Pennsylvania senators held a joint discussion that lasted roughly 30 minutes and highlighted several key areas of bipartisan agreement—particularly on foreign policy, immigration, and support for Israel.

Fetterman, a Democrat, has developed a reputation for departing from party orthodoxy since entering the Senate in 2023.

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Throughout the discussion, he aligned himself with Republican positions on several contentious issues and defended his previous support for President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign negotiations and border enforcement.

He acknowledged the backlash he faces from within his own party for taking centrist or conservative-aligned stances.

“That’s part of the bipartisanship where, you know, it’s getting more and more kind of, punitive to just agree with some of these things in the middle of the party right now,” Fetterman said.

Fetterman cited examples of policies where he found common ground with President Trump, including Trump’s efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran and initiatives to secure rare earth mineral resources through international partnerships, such as with Ukraine.

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He also issued strong remarks on Israel, criticizing elements within the Democratic Party for failing to stand firmly against antisemitism and for mischaracterizing Israel on the global stage.

Referring to the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, he said parts of his party had “lost the argument” when it came to backing Israel.

“For me, that moral clarity, it’s really firmly on Israel,” Fetterman stated.

“I refuse to allow to try to turn Israel into a pariah state, and that’s right in the middle of that.”

Fetterman voiced support for Republican-driven immigration policies and expressed frustration with how the Democratic Party has handled the border under Joe Biden’s administration.

He endorsed portions of a GOP-led funding package that included more than $150 billion for immigration enforcement, which would be used to build Trump’s proposed border wall, expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and construct new detention centers.

“That’s a mistake that our party made, and that’s the border,” Fetterman said.

“I absolutely support those kinds of investments to make our border secure as well.”

Fetterman was candid about the scale of the border crisis and linked it directly to policy failures.

“We can all agree that’s wrong,” he said in reference to the record number of migrants who crossed into the U.S. illegally. He added, “Being very pro-immigration as [a] Democrat, it’s like you’re trying to think two things must be true, and sometimes that’s put me at the odds of my party and my base to assume that I changed my values, and that’s never changed. That’s never changed.”

He also indirectly criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the way Democrats handled a government funding showdown earlier in the year.

While Schumer initially took a hardline stance against the GOP’s funding proposals, he eventually backed down to avoid a shutdown. Fetterman distanced himself from any support for a government closure.

“I refuse to ever shut our government down,” Fetterman said.

“And when we have that opportunity in September to do that, I will still be there, and … I’ll take the beating, because that’s, I think, what defines leadership.”

Fetterman’s bipartisan posture has invited scrutiny in recent weeks, with critics raising concerns about missed votes, reported staff turnover, and what some have described as erratic behavior.

On Sunday, The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board published an opinion piece suggesting that if Fetterman cannot handle the demands of office, he should “step aside.”

Fetterman dismissed the criticism, attributing it to political backlash over his support for Israel, his stance on border security, and his bipartisan efforts.

“It’s just part of a smear, and it’s just not accurate,” he said.

The forum marked one of Fetterman’s most detailed public defenses of his positions that have caused friction with Democratic leadership, reinforcing his self-styled image as an independent voice within his party.

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