Senator John Fetterman has repeatedly dismissed speculation that he could leave the Democratic Party, even as his clashes with party leaders have become more frequent. But on Wednesday, he spelled out the line he says Democrats cannot cross. Speaking at The Hill’s Nation Summit, Fetterman said he would walk away if the party formally turned against Israel. “If our party ever becomes — and just makes it official — the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” he said. Fetterman added that his “long-term concern” as a Democrat is that the party may “back away and turn their back to Israel.”
The comments came as divisions among House Democrats over Israel were on full display. On Wednesday, 103 of 211 Democrats in the US House of Representatives voted against aid to Israel, while 10 others voted “present.” The split was underscored by the fact that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the measure, while House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark supported it. Fetterman said Clark’s vote reflects a shifting political environment. He also cited the rise of progressive primary candidates who have criticized Israel, arguing that the party is becoming increasingly “anti-Israel” and less hospitable to lawmakers who back the longtime US ally.
Fetterman also took aim at colleagues he believes are trying to win over the party’s most outspoken anti-Israel voters. He confirmed that Republicans have approached him about switching parties, though he declined to provide details, calling those discussions “private conversations.” His break with many Democrats has been especially visible on foreign policy. When the Trump administration moved to strike Iran earlier this year, Fetterman strongly defended the decision. “I might be a Democrat, but in this specific case, the President is absolutely correct to do these kinds of actions,” he said in February, at a time when even some Republicans were not supporting the move. “Now we have Israel’s back. That is why it is entirely a path for peace in that region,” he added then.
Earlier this month, Fetterman and Republican Senator Dave McCormick filed a joint political committee called Common Ground PA, designed to raise money from donors interested in supporting both Pennsylvania senators. Still, Fetterman has insisted he is not preparing to change parties. In a May interview with Politico, he said he was “not changing,” rejecting the idea of becoming either a Republican or an independent. “I’m a Democrat, and I’m staying one,” he said. Recent polling, however, shows Fetterman drawing stronger support from Republicans in Pennsylvania than from Democrats — and even running ahead of McCormick.
