Trump expresses support for Sen. John Fetterman potentially joining the Republican Party

<p>President Donald Trump praised Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as a "great guy" on Saturday, indicating he would welcome the Pennsylvania Democrat into the Republican Party. Trump was asked by a reporter after stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews whether he had spoken to Fetterman about switching parties and whether he would welcome such a move.</p><p>"I'd love to see it. I think he's great," Trump responded. He noted, "It's going to be hard for him to get the nomination as a Democrat, but I'd love to have him as a Republican." Trump described Fetterman as a "great guy" with "magnificent parents," whom he said he had spoken with previously. He added, "He's a very solid person. He's smart and all that, but he's got great common sense."</p><p>Trump suggested that switching parties could be politically advantageous for Fetterman, stating, "If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat."</p><p>Trump's comments come as Fetterman has occasionally broken with Democrats on key issues, including the Iran war and immigration, although he continues to vote with his party the vast majority of the time. Since joining the Senate in 2023, Fetterman has voted with Senate Democrats nearly 90% of the time, but that figure has fallen to just under 81% during the current session of Congress, according to Fox News Digital.</p><p>Fetterman's occasional departures from party lines have fueled speculation about a potential switch to the Republican Party. He has reportedly used Republican fundraising platforms to solicit donations and maintains a close friendship with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. Last month, Fetterman recorded a video introducing Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., at the Republican Midterm Convention.</p><p>He also mistakenly referred to himself as a lifelong Republican during an appearance at the Texas Tribune's TribFest last month. An attendee asked why Fetterman did not run as an independent, to which he responded, "Because I'm a lifelong Republican," before realizing his mistake and adding, "I guarantee you that will break through. That will get clipped."</p><p>Fox News Digital has reached out to Fetterman's office for comment.</p>