Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has come under fire from progressives on social media after calling for Donald Trump to be pardoned over his hush money conviction, joining the president-elect’s Truth Social website and praising Israeli-supporting Republican Elise Stefanik.
In response, one commentator accused the Democrat of an “unconsciously irresponsible betrayal,” while conservative Jesse Kelly jokingly said he had to remind himself not to “fall in love with John Fetterman.”
Fetterman was elected to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate in November 2022, defeating Trump ally Mehmet Oz for the seat. He was the only Senate candidate to flip a seat during the 2022 midterm elections, reinforcing the Democrats’ then wafer-thin hold over the upper chamber.
Earlier this week, Fetterman became the first Democratic Senator to join the Trump-owned social media platform, Truth Social, calling for the incoming president to be pardoned over his hush money case in his first post.
DUSTIN FRANZ/AFP/GETTY
The senator wrote: “The Trump hush money and Hunter Biden cases were both bull****, and pardons are appropriate. Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division.”
In May 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 felony accounts of falsifying business documents that prosecutors said he did to cover up the payment of hush money to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies any wrongdoing and in a court filling unsealed on Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued he should either receive a non-custodial sentence, or have his sentencing delayed until he leaves office.
On December 1, President Joe Biden announced he was pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who had been awaiting sentencing after being convicted on tax evasion and gun charges.
Fetterman also sparked a progressive backlash on Wednesday by meeting with Stefanik, a House Republican known as a staunch defender of Israel who Trump nominated as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
In an X post, Stefanik thanked Fetterman for “a very productive meeting” regarding their “shared commitment to standing with Israel and combatting antisemitism,” including a photograph of the pair pictured together smiling with their thumbs up.
This was shared by Fetterman, who added: “Always a hard YES for Elise Stefanik but it was a pleasure to have a conversation.
“I support defunding UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) for its documented Hamas infiltration and fully look forward to her holding the UN accountable for its endemic antisemitism and blatant anti-Israel views.”
On X, Andrew Wortman, who produces the progressive ‘America Rises’ newsletter and has 239,000 followers on the platform, shared a Trump Truth Social post noting Fetterman had called for him to be pardoned in the hush money case.
Referring to the incoming president, he added: “He’s already touting Fetterman’s pardon recommendation. What an immeasurably dangerous and unconscionably irresponsible betrayal John Fetterman. You’re dead to us, senator.”
The progressive Rubicon X account, which has 61,000 X followers, shared Fetterman’s post about his meeting with Stefanik. Claiming they were “very disappointed” in Fetterman the account said: “We supported him when they were about to boot him out after his stroke. Now, he’s happy to support a pardon for Trump. What happened to John? Last time I support a Senator in hot pants. Cherry on Top: Elise’s Biggest Fan?”
X user Candidly Tiff, a self-identified Democrat with over 47,000 followers on the platform, also shared a screenshot of Fetterman’s Stefanik post. They added: “Seeing Dems suck up to these people who wouldn’t do the same for them disgusts me. Fetterman will be the Joe Manchin of Pennsylvania and move even closer to the center. He is an Opportunist Dem yes that new name I am giving them.”
Seeing Dems suck up to these people who wouldn’t do the same for them disgusts me. Fetterman will be the Joe Manchin of Pennsylvania and move even closer to the center. He is an Opportunist Dem yes that new name I am giving them. pic.twitter.com/Os1cGXdNBI
— Candidly Tiff 🪷💛 (@tify330) December 11, 2024
Fetterman won applause for his recent actions from a number of conservative commentators, however, including Jesse Kelly, who hosts the Jesse Kelly Show and has over 790,000 X followers.
Kelly wrote: “Look in the mirror and repeat after me: ‘I am not a mark. And because I am not a mark, I’m not going to fall in love with John Fetterman because he says things I like every now and then. I understand that he’s trying to keep office in a reddish swing state. He is not my ally.'”
Chuck Callesto, a Trump supporting social media strategist with 886,000 followers, commented: “WILL FETTERMAN BE THE NEXT SENATOR TO SWITCH PARTIES?”
However Johnny Maga, an X account with 190,000 followers, called Fetterman a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” pointing out the Democrat didn’t suggest he was opposed to Trump’s hush money trial while the case was ongoing. He shared a Fetterman post from June in which the senator said he’d “only be concerned” about Biden’s age “if he was unable to stay awake during a criminal trial for bribing a former porn star whilst his wife was pregnant.”
Trump was repeatedly accused of falling asleep in court during his hush money trial, which his team strongly denied.
Newsweek contacted Fetterman for comment via email on Thursday outside of regular office hours.
Fetterman angered many on the left after becoming a vocal supporter of Israeli military action following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, displaying photographs of hostages taken by the group and claiming some pro-Palestinian protesters were antisemitic.
