Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman made a surprise appearance via video at the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas on Wednesday evening, drawing immediate attention across the political spectrum.
The 64-second video saw Fetterman introduce Pennsylvania’s Republican Sen. Dave McCormick, with whom the Democratic senator has developed a notably close working relationship in recent months.
Fetterman described McCormick as “the kind of senator that gets the job done,” and added that he was “proud to count him as my friend,” signaling an unusually warm bipartisan bond.
Wearing his trademark black hoodie and standing in front of an industrial site in Pennsylvania, Fetterman focused his remarks on the preservation of steel jobs in the region.
“That’s the iconic U.S. Steel mill and that’s exactly the kind of thing that we’ll work on together,” Fetterman said in the video, adding that they would “work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life, right here in the Steel Valley.”
Prior to the video airing, reports had circulated that Fetterman would openly praise President Trump, though that reference to working together with the president was ultimately as close as he came to doing so.
Fetterman made multiple mentions throughout the video that he remains a Democrat, while also alluding to growing tensions he has with elements of his own party.
“Yes, I’m a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I’m a common sense Democrat,” Fetterman said. “I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.”
The appearance comes as Fetterman has grown increasingly alienated from mainstream Democratic circles, with a Wall Street Journal story published earlier this month reporting that he has shown little interest in performing his duties as senator, instead focusing on conservative media relationships and advocating for Israel.
Fetterman pushed back sharply on that story, telling CNN: “Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous. No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania.”
He also told CNN that he would only leave the Democratic Party if it adopts an anti-Israel policy, and dismissed leaked text messages cited in the Wall Street Journal report as “stripped of any context and circumstances.”
A recent New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Sienna University poll found that Fetterman is actually viewed more favorably by Pennsylvania Republicans than McCormick, the state’s sitting Republican senator, while only 22% of Pennsylvania Democrats now hold a favorable view of him.
Fetterman, who was elected in 2022, suffered a stroke during his campaign and subsequently underwent a very public battle with depression shortly after taking office, experiences that have shaped his unconventional political profile ever since.
