Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Wednesday he has no current plans to leave the Democratic Party but warned that there is one issue that could ultimately drive him away: if Democrats officially become an anti-Israel party.
Speaking during an interview at the Hill Nation Summit in Washington, Fetterman said his support for Israel has remained a matter of “moral clarity” and suggested that any formal rejection of the longtime U.S. ally by Democrats would cross a line he could not accept.
“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 said.
The Pennsylvania Democrat said he struggles to understand why members of his party would distance themselves from Israel, describing it as an important democracy in the Middle East that shares many values with the United States.
Fetterman said he has grown increasingly concerned as more Democrats have become critical of U.S. aid to Israel, a trend he believes has been fueled by pressure from the party’s progressive wing.
“My long-term concern has been with the Democratic Party, as I am a member of that, is that our party is going to back away and turn their back to Israel,” he said.
The senator pointed to Democratic support for an amendment sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have cut off $3.3 billion in annual security assistance to Israel. He also cited recent Democratic primary victories by candidates who have been sharply critical of Israel.
Fetterman noted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the amendment while House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark supported it, arguing Clark’s vote reflected a broader trend developing within the party.
“You look at the kinds of individuals that are winning our recent primaries,” he said. “It’s becoming more anti-, anti-Israel and hostile to people” who support Israel.
He also criticized fellow Democrats who, in his view, are attempting to appeal to voters he described as intensely anti-Israel.
Fetterman acknowledged that Republicans have approached him about switching parties but declined to discuss those conversations, calling them private.
The senator also voiced concern about Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s strong polling in Michigan’s Democratic primary. Fetterman argued that if El-Sayed secures the nomination, Democrats could be forced to spend millions of additional dollars in the battleground state to remain competitive in November.
Referencing Republican Mike Rogers’ narrow loss in Michigan’s 2024 Senate race, Fetterman said El-Sayed’s positions on Israel could make the race more difficult for Democrats.
He also criticized El-Sayed and other progressive candidates over previous statements supporting the “defund the police” movement, questioning whether Democrats had learned from the party’s 2024 presidential election defeat.
“Now here’s more Democrats to ‘defund the police,’” Fetterman said, arguing the party was returning to positions that had previously hurt its electoral prospects.
Fetterman also expressed frustration over fellow Democratic senators who supported progressive Senate candidate Graham Platner in Maine before allegations about his past behavior emerged. He singled out Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., saying he was angry that Sanders strongly backed Platner and was reluctant to withdraw his endorsement after reports detailing troubling allegations.
“As a Democrat, I am angry at people like Bernie Sanders, that pushed that accused rapist,” Fetterman said.
Platner later ended his campaign after Maine resident Jenny Racicot accused him of raping her in 2021.
Fetterman questioned why Democratic lawmakers who initially supported Platner had not apologized, specifically mentioning Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen. He argued that backing Platner had thrown one of the nation’s most important Senate races into turmoil and made it harder to defeat Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
“Where’s the accountability?” Fetterman asked.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., meanwhile, said Monday that she had called for Platner to withdraw from the race and emphasized that Democrats must now focus on finding a new candidate in Maine as they seek to regain control of the Senate.
