During a question‑and‑answer session at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Sen. John Fetterman (D‑Pa.) warned that he could abandon the Democratic Party if it officially becomes an anti‑Israel party. The senator said the party’s “big tent” appears to welcome statements like “America deserved 9/11” more readily than a proud stance in support of Israel.
Fetterman’s remarks at the festival
When CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett asked whether any circumstance would cause him to leave the Democratic Party, Fetterman replied, “It’s easier to be included in that big tent to say ‘America deserved 9/11’ or America is ‘worse than Al‑Qaeda’ than being very proud to stand on the side of Israel.” He added, “More and more members of my caucus are becoming more and more anti‑Israel.”
Fetterman referenced a 2019 livestream by streamer Hasan Piker, who once suggested America “deserved” the September 11 attacks before later clarifying he did not truly believe that. The senator used the incident to illustrate what he sees as the current energy on the left.
Polling shows growing hostility toward Israel among Democrats
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March found that 80 % of Democrats and Democratic‑leaning independents now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53 % in 2022. The same poll reported that 60 % of all American adults view Israel unfavorably. The upward swing in unfavorable sentiment is a clear trend that the source highlights.
Fetterman said, “If America stops supporting Israel or turns its back on Israel, that must mean that we don’t even believe in ourselves anymore. Israel is our special ally and the values it represents are unique in the region.”
Potential break point for the senator
“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,” Fetterman told the audience.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin responded to the controversy, calling Hasan Piker’s remarks “absolutely disgusting and deplorable,” while emphasizing that Piker does not represent the Democratic Party or the majority of its elected officials.
Legislative actions reflecting the debate
Fetterman also cited recent Senate resolutions that sought to block military assistance to Israel. In April, 40 Senate Democrats voted to block a $295 million sale of bulldozers to Israel, and 36 voted to block a $151.8 million sale of 1,000‑pound bombs. The senator noted that these votes did not target Israel’s Iron Dome defensive system, which he described as a critical component of the nation’s security.
While the Democratic Party continues to grapple with internal disagreements over foreign policy, Fetterman’s comments underscore a growing tension between a segment of the party that champions strong Israel support and a rising faction that questions that stance.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
