Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman has never shied away from critiquing his own party, and his recent appearances on Fox News Channel continue this trend. In interviews broadcast on Friday and Saturday, Fetterman dismissed the anti-Israel and anti-capitalist sentiments gaining traction among some Democrats. Notable party figures like New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been outspoken about their socialist leanings and criticism of Israel.

During his appearance on ‘Saturday in America’ with Kaleigh McEnany, Fetterman addressed a recent vote in the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the condemnation of socialism. The vote revealed that 47 percent of House Democrats chose not to denounce the ideology. Fetterman shared with McEnany that, based on his conversations with individuals from former socialist countries, those people would overwhelmingly support condemning socialism, viewing it as disastrous and expressing disbelief that America is even entertaining such discussions.

Fetterman elaborated, “There’s a saying that bad ideas never die, and I’m puzzled as to why our party even entertains these notions. I would strongly oppose them and undoubtedly vote to condemn socialism if it were up for a vote in the Senate.” This disapproval of his party’s more radical factions was also evident during a Friday segment on Fox News Channel’s ‘The Story,’ where Fetterman pointed out that certain elements within the Democratic Party are increasingly adopting anti-Israel stances. He criticized the trend among new Democratic candidates to prominently feature anti-Israel views in their campaigns.

Fetterman additionally described the pressure the Democratic Socialists of America has put on Mamdani regarding Israel as absurd and arrogant. The Pennsylvania Senator also commented on the fact that Mamdani has ‘no authority’ to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu because ‘the United States [is] not a part of the ICC (International Criminal Court.) ‘So, it’s – again, it’s empty kinds of threats.’ The ICC, which is backed by the United Nations (UN), issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin just over a year ago, on November 21, 2024, for actions alleged to be ‘war crimes’ in Gaza under his watch.

Fetterman’s comments come as health battles have plagued the Pennsylvanian during his time both running for office and serving in the Senate. He was rushed to the hospital with a life-threatening heart problem after falling over earlier this month. The Pennsylvania Senator was on a walk on November 13 when he ‘sustained a fall near his home in Braddock,’ per a statement issued by the Democrat’s spokesperson at the time. Fetterman was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh after the accident, where doctors determined he suffered a ventricular flare-up, his team said.

A ventricular flare-up in this context refers to an episode of a ventricular arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm, that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest which can cause the heart to stop pumping blood effectively. The medical episode caused the 56-year-old lawmaker to feel light-headed and fall to the ground, ‘hitting his face with minor injuries,’ the spokesperson said. Following the incident, Fetterman issued a cheeky statement and appeared to be in good spirits.

‘If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!’ he said. His latest medical scare comes after he opened up about thinking about quitting politics following a terrifying stroke in 2022. In his recently released book Unfettered, Fetterman offered an eye-opening glimpse into the inner battles he has faced in private, despite his public-facing role.

It also provided additional insight into why Fetterman has been unafraid to be at odds with his party and side with Republicans and Trump on issues such as immigration, Israel, and his unwavering commitment to reopening the government amid the shutdown that plagued Washington for nearly a month and a half this fall.