All posts tagged "john fetterman"

Blindsided CNN anchor 'glad' her kids weren't watching as Fetterman unleashes lewd remarks

A CNN anchor was shocked by a senator's description of the lewd antics of an embattled candidate.

"Glad my children aren't old enough to watch this show," CNN host Kasie Hunt said as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) described his understanding of the scandal surrounding Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.

Platner is in hot water ahead of the Maine primaries as bombshell reporting by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times revealed allegations of him sending sexually explicit texts while married and acting aggressively in previous relationships.

Fetterman didn't censor himself as he accused Platner of sending "d— pics," even though Hunt was quick to clarify that recent reports about Platner's sexting scandal only mention sexually explicit texts, not nude images.

Hunt repeated the words "d— pics" when making it clear that Fetterman assumed Platner sent those kinds of messages. But the follow-up question triggered a cascade of even more raunchy remarks from Fetterman.

"A guy that he talked about and described, d—, he's already done that in his writings," Fetterman said, trying to explain his assumption. "When he would used to sit in the port-a-potties, you know, he would say that he would want to m— to them."

Trump eyes Hail Mary to lock up GOP control in Senate: report

President Donald Trump has apparently directed Republicans to persuade a Democrat to leave his party and join the GOP, The New Republic reported on Wednesday.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — who has often sided with Republican lawmakers and been questioned by critics over his party loyalty — has reportedly become a target for the president. Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against the latest war powers resolution on Wednesday and was the deciding vote in the seventh attempt to end Trump's military operation in Iran.

Trump has viewed Fetterman as someone who can potentially help secure Republican control in Congress and wants to convince the Democrat "to switch parties to help retain the GOP’s fragile majority in the Senate."

Fetterman has denied any plans to leave the Democratic Party and has said he would be a "s----- Republican." The president has called the centrist lawmaker his "favorite Democrat."

John Fetterman's praise of Trump's 'quiet piggy' insult sparks outrage

The internet was stunned on Monday after Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) told comedian Bill Maher that he commended President Donald Trump's insult directed at a female reporter.

Fetterman was a guest on Maher's "Club Random Podcast" when the comedian and host talked about how "refreshing" Trump's "honesty" has been when the lawmaker replied and laughed, saying: "The ultimate: quiet piggy. Hahaha, yeah!"

The internet sounded off on the interaction between the two public figures.

"Two white men laughing at the president of the United States telling a woman reporter to 'quiet piggy' and calling it refreshing honesty really tells you how little regard both of them have for women. And professional decorum and basic decency," Mj Cusick, a marketing professional and ghost writer who self-describes as a "lifelong D," wrote on X.

"Two a------- walk into a bar..." Democratic strategist Jon Cooper, former Long Island Campaign Chair for Barack Obama and majority leader of the Suffolk County Legislature, wrote on X.

"This dude has fully jumped aboard the grift train. I used to be such a fan but I had to stop supporting him years ago!" Political commentator Jason McDaniel wrote on X.

"Watch Maher & Fetterman have a big laugh about how ;refreshing' Trump’s honesty is when he demeans and attacks female reporters, including the 'quiet piggy' line. (Fitting since Maher has revealed himself to be the John Fetterman of out of touch talk show hosts)," The Tennessee Holler, a progressive news site, wrote in a Bluesky post.

Bill Maher gushes over how “refreshing” Donald Trump’s “honesty” is with reporters and John Fetterman responds: “The ultimate: quiet piggy. Hahaha, yeah!” pic.twitter.com/cBrq3juuxg
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) May 11, 2026

US Senate candidate arrested for threatening to kill Trump: feds

A Pennsylvania man running for U.S. Senate is now facing federal charges for threatening a member of Congress, President Donald Trump, and the family of a U.S. official.

Raymond Eugene Chandler III was running to unseat fellow Democrat Sen. John Fetterman before he was arrested on May 1, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. According to an FBI arrest affidavit, Chandler left threats for more than a year on the voicemail of an unnamed senator. The affidavit said that the threats were directed at the senator as well as the "immediate family of a United States official" and Trump.

The voicemail threats started in April 2025, when Chandler described buying a "seven-inch combat knife and dagger," said he's ready to "personally kill" ICE agents and told the unnamed senator that he'll "build gallows" to hang him, per the affidavit.

In January 2026, Chandler said he would "organize armed resistance" against ICE and "those who deserve death," including Trump. According to a Primetimer article. Chandler launched his campaign via YouTube in February 2026 to replace Fetterman in the 2028 election cycle.

In mid-April this year, one of Chandler's voicemails asked the senator to imagine thousands of people surrounding his house and the house of "1,200 billionaires." Chandler said that on command, they would "slit your throat, and they slit your daughter’s throat," the affidavit read.

Last week, on April 29, just days before his arrest, Chandler allegedly told the unnamed senator that, and said, "I'm calling this evening because what I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand. I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the President's head, and I want you to pull the trigger," the affidavit detailed.

It was the last voicemail before his arrest. In it, Chandler described Trump as "a liar among all liars. He's a great deceiver. He's the antichrist," according to the affidavit.

"I want you to kill the President," Chandler allegedly said. "I want you to assassinate the president. That's what I want you to do. Now, Senator, are you gonna come after me? Are you going to try me because of my voice and what I said?"

Dem ignites firestorm within his own party over Iran remarks: 'You sure did fool us'

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said he was "baffled" Monday that his Senate colleagues weren't supporting President Donald Trump's decision to begin military strikes in Iran — and Democrats were furious at his comments.

The Pennsylvania Democrat's loyalty has increasingly been called into question as he has shown he was breaking with Democrats over the war in Iran, Politico reported.

"Every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. I’m baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that. Empty sloganeering vs. commitment to global security — which is it?" Fetterman wrote on X.

Other Democrats and commentators had strong responses to Fetterman's statement.

“Well, John Fetterman knows better,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CNN. “Article I of the Constitution explicitly provides Congress with the authority to declare war. Period, full stop.”

"A man who has never seen war and never will, cheering this on from a comfortable perch in Washington. Every Senator who fails to stop this war should lose their seat, starting with @SenSusanCollins and @SenFettermanPA," Democratic Senate candidate and veteran Graham Platner wrote on X.

"Any politician who votes to start another endless war in the Middle East should lose their seat in 2026," California state congressional candidate and co-founder of Justice Democrats Saikat Chakrabarti wrote on X.

"'The only action?' Bombing a school and slaughtering young children is 'the only action?' The President committing acts of war without Congressional approval and lying to the American people is 'the only action?' Deploying our loved ones into another forever war is 'the only action?' Resign," Charles Booker, Kentucky Senate candidate and former Kentucky state representative, wrote on X.

"You sure did fool us all," media and communications specialist Louw Breytenbach wrote on X.

"The only action? 1) Iran was not working on a nuclear weapon, as confirmed by US intelligence. 2) There was a nuclear agreement with Iran that was keeping its enrichment levels low. Trump left that agreement, and then Iran responded by increasing enrichment. Every sabotage and attack since has caused Iran to increase enrichment further. 3) Military strikes to stop the program worked so well that after 'obliterating' their nuclear program eight months ago, we are already concerned about it again. You are a warmonger. It is that simple," Navy veteran and independent writer Jared Ryan Sears wrote on X.

Fed-up Fetterman bristles when pressed again on CNN whether he's ditching Dems

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) appeared annoyed Wednesday when he was asked — again — if he had plans to leave the Democratic Party.

Fetterman, who has faced questions before over where his loyalties stand and shook President Donald Trump's hand before the State of the Union address Tuesday night, was talking to CNN anchor Kasie Hunt about the outlook for Democrats in the midterm elections. Fetterman will be up for reelection in 2028, but has not yet announced if he has decided to run again for his Senate seat.

"I'm not changing the party," Fetterman said. "And I might clap for some things that I agree, but, you know when you represent Pennsylvania that's there. It's like, 'hey, we would all love like a... a blue state, you know, then you can really just have to talk to one side. But for me it's a special responsibility. If you represent Pennsylvania that, you know we have to find a way forward."

Hunt pressed him on whether he would run again.

"I think the question there really is about the reality that there are some Democrats that are considering challenging you in your race, potentially should you, of course decide to run for reelection in a potential reelection would you want President Trump's endorsement in Pennsylvania?" Hunt asked.

His response seemed to sidestep the question, but left him open to potential possibilities.

"It's like anyone's entitled," Fetterman said. "But it's very strange if anyone is a Democrat. I'm not sure it's like the guy that flipped a red, a red seat, and someone now, it's like, now, my record is solid, solid Democrat. So, you know, whatever is possible, so for me, where I'm at here, we are. Don't we all want don't we all want the kind of Democrat that can flip a seat? That's the one thing that matters. There's no drama. You know who's going to be in California or in Massachusetts? You know where it is."

"And the states that really matter about the big about the big dance," Fetterman said. "They all come down to those specific kinds of states. And now someone you know, in Morning Consult a couple weeks ago, I'm up 15 points."

'Are you a Trump Democrat, sir?' Fetterman stumbles at CNN anchor's direct question

A CNN anchor on Tuesday had a pointed question for Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who has often broken ranks with Democrats and faced criticism over it.

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt dropped the question during a live interview, asking the sweatshirt-wearing lawmaker about his views on remaining in the Democratic party — despite lingering comments over where his loyalties lie and whether he'd back President Donald Trump's party.

"Sir, I do want to ask you about your own political party, as, of course, Democrats did win on Election Day in November, but of course, had a tough time in the presidential election. And I think I have a big picture question for you, given some of the things that you've said in recent months do you plan on staying a member of the Democratic party for the duration of your political career?" Hunt asked.

"Absolutely," Fetterman responded.

"I mean — I'm not sure why I keep — I have the question. I've been consistently — I would never going to change my party," he added, as the interview cut in and out.

"Are you a Trump Democrat, sir?" Hunt asked.

Fetterman appeared stumped for a moment after the question, then responded.

"I know there's no such thing as a Trump Democrat," he said.

"Well, you know, I just, I ran, you know, I asked a person to run my — my record," Fetterman added. "I have a 94% overall, 94% voting. The Dem line, 94%. I mean, that's, you know, so that's — it's it's a strange place. So, for me, I am going to be very honest. And there's some things I might agree or sometimes I'll disagree. I'm going to follow what I believe happens to be the truth in a situation, but I'm not sure now. So when as a Democrat, I'm not changing my party and my voting record is is exactly, you know, in."

Controversial Dem John Fetterman hospitalized after heart disorder leads to fall

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was hospitalized after a heart rhythm disorder known as ventricular fibrillation led to his falling.

"During an early morning walk, Senator Fetterman sustained a fall near his home in Braddock," a spokesperson for the lawmaker announced on Thursday. "Out of an abundance of caution, he was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh."

"Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries," the statement added.

Fetterman was said to be "doing well" on Thursday afternoon.

"If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!" the senator reportedly commented.

During a recent interview on CNN, Fetterman claimed liberals were "cheering" for him to have a stroke.

'I certainly disagree': Defecting Dem called out by own party on CNN

A defecting Democrat was called out by his own party on Wednesday, with a leading Democrat telling CNN, "I certainly disagree."

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), the House Minority Whip, responded to anchor Brianna Keilar's questions about the government shutdown and pushed back on Sen. John Fetterman's (D-PA) remarks.

"I don't care if it's Republicans doing that or my own party doing those things. I think that's the truth that our government must be open and we can negotiate all of these very important kinds of priorities," Fetterman told CNN on earlier in the day.

Keilar asked Clark if she agreed with Fetterman.

"Fetterman said he's fighting for both the 2 million Pennsylvanians who are on [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program], and also the 420,000 Pennsylvanians who are receiving the [Affordable Care Act] subsidies that you all are demanding an extension to. And he says it's fundamentally wrong to shut the government down, which is something Democrats have argued in the past when Republicans are doing it. At this point in time, because of this budget, we hear you, we hear Democrats saying it's different. It's not fundamentally wrong. Explain that. I mean, why? And why do you think that John Fetterman has it wrong here?"

Clark said there was a difference between this shutdown with the current Trump administration compared to others she has served under, or any in recent history.

"We have a president who, from the moment he took office, has been using the budget, which it is federal law, and under the Constitution, that we here in Congress set the budget as his private slush fund," Clark said. "He takes it from programs he doesn't like, and he gives it to programs he does like. We've watched this very recently in the Department of Education, where he has decimated special education funding in this country, something that many, many parents and schools deserve and need in order to provide for all of our students. He has done this over and over again. And so at each point in this budget process, we have said, 'You have to abide by the law. You have to respect that we are voted and elected to represent people,' and that when Congress sets budgets, setting the levels for SNAP, for our veterans benefits, for health care in this country, that is something that you should abide by. Not only does he not do that, he uses his bully pulpit to take more from the senator."

She described how the current stalemate is not like the past.

"I believe that we are in a situation here where Senator Fetterman sees no difference in how this administration is approaching this budget, and acting lawfully and constitutionally, and putting the needs of the American people first and any other administration. I certainly disagree with him about that, because what we're seeing here is a Speaker [Mike] Johnson in the House, when we said we cannot — we you know, we have opposed this budget at every single point. But let's not shut down government. Let's come together and talk about this,'" Clark said.

Johnson hasn't had the same response, she added.

"His response he has shut down the House. He has shut down the House and said, 'I simply don't care. I don't care what happens to federal workers. I don't care what happens to these snap programs. I don't care what happens to people's health care,'" she added.

"And so the idea that somehow when they control the House, the Senate, and the White House, that this is on Democrats is really a preposterous one to me. And they have you have seen them try to cover for their inexcusable strategy of taking healthcare funding, of taking food programs away from our kids and our seniors in order to fund tax cuts. That is the strategy. That is what they are doing," Clark said.

"And the fact that they are inflicting even more pain and injecting further cruelty by threatening to not repay people who federal workers who are working without pay, it just further shows the callousness on which they view working people at the same time, we have a president who, what is he talking about? He's talking about building a ballroom. Let that sink in for working people in this country," she said.

Fetterman is expected to have a potentially tough primary for breaking with his own party on key issues and frequently defending President Donald Trump.

'Don't care if someone's extreme': Fetterman tells Dems to let GOP grieve Charlie Kirk

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Fetterman is cautioning his fellow Democrats to ease up on their rhetoric in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“It's horrific. It's absolutely horrific. I mean, I've seen the video multiple times,” the Pennsylvania Democrat told Raw Story outside the U.S. Capitol, of the killing of Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah last week.

Kirk was speaking to a large crowd when was shot in the neck.

In the seven days since the killing, debate has been intense.

Republicans have blamed the political left, with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi and other senior figures promising a legal crackdown on groups they say promote violence against political opponents.

Some Democrats and progressives have pushed back, pointing to the prevalence of right-wing groups among perpetrators of politically motivated violence.

The full motivations of the 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, remain unclear.

But Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox has said Robinson’s views shifted left after he spent time in “dark corners of the internet.”

Authorities have said they will seek the death penalty.

Fetterman insisted: “I'm not going to talk about the politics. I'm not going to talk about who's right or who was this or that. It's just like: Don't shoot [and] kill people if they have different political views.”

The first-term senator is warning fellow Democrats that the murder of Kirk, who was 31 and the founder of youth-oriented rightwing group Turning Point USA, is different to other high-profile instances of gun violence.

“This isn't like ‘thoughts and prayers,’” Fetterman said, referencing a common, evasive response to mass shootings from gun rights supporters that often stokes fierce debate.

“This is not about trying to use that to argue your own positions.

“I don't care, you know, if you think someone's extreme. So what? It's just like, that's democracy, that's free speech. And now I'm not going to make it any more complicated than just that. It’s terrible.”

Saying it was “so sad it’s become predictable” that partisan debate should break out after high-profile instances of gun violence, Fetterman expressed concern for Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, and two young children.

“It’s just, like, they lost their father, they lost their husband,” the senator said.

“And it has traumatized our nation, having someone’s neck torn apart by a bullet … someone that has his different political views.

“It’s like, I mean, don't do that. Condemn that.”

‘That’s free speech’

Raw Story asked if Fetterman’s thoughts had turned this week to the assassination attempt against Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania during the election last year, after which “we saw people dancing.”

Fetterman said: “Well that’s turned into one thing … It's just like, don't shoot anyone. Especially for having different political views. It's always wrong.

"I mean, you know, like if someone murdered my … I mean, when [Kirk’s] kids grow up, that will live forever on the internet.

“Not everything has to turn into the next political argument. It's like, you condemn that and just allow people to grieve. And, you know, for the Republicans, that was part of their big point. Like, give it to them. Allow them the space to grieve.”

Prayers for Kirk were said on the House floor, followed by a congressional vigil. Some Republicans have called for further memorializations, including a likeness of Kirk in Statuary Hall.

“Like, give them the opportunity to [grieve],” Fetterman said. “I'm not going to hold them accountable for everything that they say if they’re upset or whatever.

“Just let them have their space with that.”