President Donald Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews that he would gladly welcome Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman to the Republican Party. The President described the senator as a “great guy” with “magnificent parents” and praised his common sense and intelligence.
Trump’s invitation
When asked whether he had spoken to Sen. Fetterman about a party change, Trump answered, “I’d love to see it. I think he’s great. It’s going to be hard for him to get the nomination as a Democrat, but I’d love to have him as a Republican.” He added that the senator’s polling numbers improve when he is viewed as a Republican.
Fetterman’s record and recent activity
Sen. Fetterman, a Democrat, has occasionally broken with his party on high‑profile issues such as the war in Iran and immigration policy. Since joining the Senate in 2023, he has voted with Senate Democrats nearly 90 percent of the time, though that figure fell to just under 81 percent during the current session, according to Fox News Digital.
Recent reports note that Fetterman has used Republican fundraising platforms and maintains a close friendship with Sen. Katie Britt, R‑Ala. He also introduced Sen. Dave McCormick, R‑Pa., at the Republican Midterm Convention and mistakenly referred to himself as a lifelong Republican at a Texas Tribune event.
Political implications
Trump’s comments come amid ongoing speculation about whether Fetterman might consider a party switch. The President’s endorsement highlights a broader strategy of encouraging bipartisan figures to align with the GOP, a theme that has appeared in recent campaign messaging.
Critics of the idea note that Fetterman still votes with his party the vast majority of the time, but the President’s remarks suggest that a Republican affiliation could improve his electoral prospects, at least according to his own reading of the polls.
Response from Fetterman’s office
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sen. Fetterman’s office for comment. No response was available at the time of publication.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
