Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman became the first Senate Democrat to join Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social. Fetterman’s first post was as controversial as his decision to join the site.
The Pennsylvania lawmaker called for Trump to be pardoned just like Hunter Biden. He criticized the “weaponization of the judiciary” rhetoric that aligns with Trump’s views.
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The move sparked a reaction from media outlets and fellow Democrats. It’s not the first time Fetterman strayed from his party’s ideals in recent months.
Fetterman’s political shift
Fetterman’s shift away from Democratic positions gained traction earlier this year when he became a vocal supporter of Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war. He went so far as to wrap himself in an Israeli flag, condemn pro-Palestinian protesters for “praising Hamas terrorists” and hang photos of Israeli hostages outside his office door at the U.S. Capitol.
His support for Israel led him to back New York Rep. Elise Stefanik,R, whom Trump nominated for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Fetterman posted to X this week, saying, “Always was a hard yes for Elise Stefanik, but it was a pleasure to have a conversation.”
He called for defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) over its alleged Hamas infiltration, a stance commonly supported by Republicans.
“Meeting folks where they are”
In addition to supporting Trump’s U.N. ambassador pick, Fetterman met with Pete Hegseth, a controversial figure Trump nominated for secretary of defense. Fetterman was the first Senate Democrat to meet with Hegseth and said he was not ruling out backing his nomination.
“I suspect there are some things we might agree on in terms of military, whether it’s China or Israel, and maybe disagree some, perhaps on Ukraine,” Fetterman told CNN. “But I think it’s an opportunity to have a conversation. I’m not sure why it would be controversial to anybody if he’s the individual who could potentially be the next secretary of defense.”
Earlier this year, Fetterman weighed in on immigration, urging Democrats to stop “pretending” there wasn’t a crisis at the border. He said Democrats can be “pro-immigration” while still calling for “strong, secure borders.” It’s a position Republicans emphasized in recent elections.
While Fetterman’s decision to join Truth Social caused a stir, he said it’s part of a larger outreach effort. He also joined Bluesky, a platform that gained popularity among left-leaning users seeking an alternative to X (formerly Twitter).
Fetterman posted to X that he is “meeting folks where they are.”
