Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) admitted Tuesday that “no one really knows” who is leading the Democratic Party on Capitol Hill and revealed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) never spoke to him about the recent government shutdown, as reported by The New York Post.
Fetterman, 56, made the comments during an appearance on Fox & Friends, where he discussed a report from Axios alleging that Schumer privately urged a group of moderate Democrats in mid-October to prolong the shutdown until the start of ObamaCare open enrollment on Nov. 1.
“I was not in a conversation or I never got any outreach,” Fetterman said, adding that “everyone understood” his stance on reopening the government.
“I really kind of led the charge [to keep the government open] back in March,” he said. “And then I said, ‘I know we’ll be back in September.’ And I said, ‘I know where my vote will be then, too.’”
Fetterman was among eight Democrats and Democrat-aligned independents who voted Monday night to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in U.S. history, without demanding that Republicans agree to extend ObamaCare subsidies beyond this year.
“It’s always a hard yes to keep our government open,” Fetterman explained.
“I mean, that’s my principle, because it’s wrong to shut our government down. And now we knew that we would put [at risk] those 42 million Americans for SNAP and paying our military and, you know, the Capitol Police. I mean, people have went five weeks without being paid. I mean, that’s a violation of my core values. And I think it’s [a violation of] our party’s [values] as well.”
When co-host Lawrence Jones asked who was “running the show now in the Democratic Party,” Fetterman replied bluntly, “No one really knows.”
“My values are reflected in my vote and the things that I support here,” he said, “and if that might put me at odds with parts of my party, I’m okay with that. I mean, we need to be a … big tent party.”
Fetterman, who has distanced himself from the progressive wing on several issues, has repeatedly voiced support for Israel and criticized the hardline tactics favored by the far-left base.
He said he could not support allowing programs like SNAP or military pay to lapse during the shutdown.
“I think my party crossed a line of now putting 42 million Americans with — with their SNAP benefits [expiring],” Fetterman said.
“And making flying less safe and that kind of chaos and not paying our military. I mean, that was a red line for me that I can’t cross as a Democrat.”
The revised government funding bill passed by the Senate would fund federal operations until Jan. 30, 2026, and provide money for SNAP, veterans programs, and congressional operations through Sept. 30. The House is expected to vote on the measure Wednesday.
Fetterman also discussed his new memoir, Unfettered, which was released Tuesday. The book details his public service career and his recovery from depression.
“For me, you know, my message was very, very simple: if anyone feels lost or they’re in the throes of depression, you know, I beg people, please, please stay in this game, because I promise you — you will get better,” Fetterman said.
“Three years ago, you know, I was in the depths of that depression, and now I’ve emerged as a [U.S.] senator.”
