Sen. John Fetterman struck a rare note of bipartisanship Monday night, telling Fox News’ Jesse Watters that he refuses to dehumanize or demonize people who support President Donald Trump.
“I refuse to do [it] as a Democrat,” Fetterman said. “I’m not gonna call you a fascist or a Nazi. I’m not gonna compare anyone to Hitler or anything. That’s wrong. And if you resort to that thing, you’ve lost the plot.”
The Pennsylvania Democrat said that kind of language damages public trust and alienates millions of Americans. “Because if you call him [Trump] a fascist, then you have to think, ‘Well, maybe the people that vote for him — and I know people that love him — are fascists.’ That’s just not true,” he continued. “I know people that voted for the other side, and they’re not trying to destroy our Constitution.”
Fetterman emphasized that his approach is about dialogue, not division. “I’m gonna have a conversation with the other side,” he said. “I’m gonna show up and talk to anyone that invites me. Because we really need each other.”
It’s not the first time Fetterman has broken with his party. During the ongoing government shutdown, he publicly blasted Senate Democrats for refusing to fund pay for essential federal workers and service members, urging them to “cut the s—” and reopen the government.
His comments come as rhetoric between the two parties has grown increasingly toxic. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has referred to Trump as a “fascist,” and former President Joe Biden suggested last year that Trump should be “locked up.” Those remarks came amid a politically charged atmosphere that included two assassination attempts on Trump — one at a Pennsylvania rally in July 2024, where he was grazed by a bullet, and another in September, when an armed man was arrested near his Florida golf club.
For Fetterman, the message is simple: if Democrats want to win back trust, they need to stop vilifying voters and start talking to them again.