Sen. John Fetterman has spent his political career as a Democrat and continues to vote with his party on most major issues. However, the Pennsylvania senator has also broken with Democratic leaders on several high-profile matters, particularly when it comes to Israel.
Fetterman has now repeated that there is one political “red line” that could force him to leave the Democratic Party: the party officially adopting an anti-Israel position.
During a recent hallway interview with CNN, Fetterman expressed frustration with what he views as his party’s growing hostility toward one of America’s closest allies.
“I’ve always expressed my dismay at the way the Democratic Party continues to turn its back on Israel,” Fetterman said.
“So I’ve said that publicly, like that’s my red line. If the Democratic Party becomes officially anti-Israel, then that’s when I would force myself out,” he added.
Fetterman’s comments became the subject of a heated discussion on CNN’s Friday morning panel.
Luke Thomas, host of the “Morning Kombat” podcast, responded by saying he would be willing to help Fetterman leave the party.
“I’ll help him pack his bags. Good riddance. This is the biggest non-threat I think I’ve ever seen,” Thomas said.
Thomas argued that Fetterman’s differences with Democratic voters extend beyond his strong support for Israel. He pointed to the senator’s positions on government funding, immigration enforcement and Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Thomas then cited a new Quinnipiac University survey showing that Fetterman has become considerably more popular with Republicans than with members of his own party in Pennsylvania.
The poll found that 77 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans approved of Fetterman’s job performance, compared with only 19 percent of Democrats. Overall, 48 percent of registered voters approved of his performance, while 41 percent disapproved.
“That is what a Latin American president at the end of his term is getting,” Thomas said while discussing Fetterman’s low Democratic approval rating.
The same poll found that 52 percent of Pennsylvania voters would like Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party, while 31 percent wanted him to remain. Among Democrats, 57 percent said he should leave.
Fetterman generated additional political speculation earlier in the week when he launched a joint fundraising operation with Pennsylvania’s Republican senator, Dave McCormick.
The new committee, called Common Ground PA, was registered with the Federal Election Commission ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 campaign cycle.
Federal filings list four participating political committees: Every Vote PAC, Pennsylvania Honor, Fetterman for PA and Friends of Dave McCormick.
Fetterman is identified as the leadership PAC sponsor for Every Vote PAC, while McCormick is listed as the sponsor of Pennsylvania Honor.
