President Donald Trump has publicly opened the Republican Party’s door to Senator John Fetterman, praising the Pennsylvania Democrat as a “great guy” and saying he would “love” to have him in the GOP. Trump’s invitation followed months of speculation about Fetterman’s political future. His breaks with fellow Democrats have involved immigration, Israel, the war in Iran, and his rejection of socialism. Fetterman remains a Democrat, but his growing popularity with Republican voters has kept questions about a possible switch alive.
The exchange happened Saturday, October 10th, at Joint Base Andrews after Trump stepped off Air Force One following a rally in Tennessee. A reporter asked whether the president had spoken with Fetterman about becoming a Republican and whether he would welcome the senator into the party. The question came only weeks before the November 3rd midterm elections. Democrats needed to gain four Senate seats to secure a 51-seat majority.
“I’d love to see it. I think he’s great,” Trump responded. “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 continued. Trump pointed to the senator’s judgment and political standing in Pennsylvania as reasons he could fit within the GOP. Fetterman’s Senate seat is next on the ballot in 2028.
As Fox News reported, Trump called Fetterman a “great guy” whose parents were “magnificent.” He added, “He’s a very solid person.” Trump continued, “He’s smart and all that, but he’s got great common sense.” The president also argued that the political numbers favor a change, saying, “If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.”
Those numbers have provided fuel for the speculation. An August poll cited by Fox News found that 73% of registered Pennsylvania Republicans viewed Fetterman favorably, compared with 63% who held a favorable opinion of Republican Senator Dave McCormick. Among registered Democrats, only 22% viewed Fetterman favorably, while 63% viewed him unfavorably. Independents viewed Fetterman favorably by a 49%-35% margin.
Fetterman’s voting record still leans heavily toward the Democrats, though the extent of that alignment has declined. Since entering the Senate in 2023, he has voted with Democrats nearly 90% of the time. During the current session, that figure has fallen to just under 81% as he has broken with his caucus on immigration and the war in Iran. He also joined Republicans in opposing Senate Democratic resolutions intended to limit Trump’s authority in Iran.
Watch Trump’s invitation to Fetterman here:
"*" indicates required fields
Fetterman added to the rumors in September when he recorded a video introducing McCormick at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas. Standing in front of a steel mill, he called himself a “common-sense Democrat” and declared, “I’m always going to stand with America.” He continued, “I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.” Fetterman also promised, “We’ll work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley.”
Another unusual moment came during the Texas Tribune’s TribFest, where an attendee asked Fetterman why he had not run as an independent. “Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” he answered before immediately correcting himself. “I guarantee you that’s going to break through. That’ll get clipped,” Fetterman said, adding, “I’m a lifelong Democrat, though.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune has separately said Republicans would welcome Fetterman if he decided to leave the Democratic caucus.
Fetterman has also identified a specific issue that could drive him out of his party. “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,” he said in July. He later insisted that his Republican convention appearance didn’t amount to a party change. Fetterman told Fox News, “I’m a lifelong Democrat who votes overwhelmingly with my party — and should the Senate flip in November, I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.