It was the journey heard ’around the world … er, at the very least, ’around the beltway. So Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman appeared on The View on Monday (January 27) and eventually opened up about his controversial flight right down to Mar-a-Lago to fulfill with then-PEOTUS Donald Trump. He additionally answered some actually powerful questions from the panelists about his positions on Trump’s strikes.
First, Fetterman defined why he hasn’t been shocked by Trump’s official acts after taking workplace on the White Home final week: “I imply, he’s been doing primarily what he really campaigned on. He introduced he’s going to pardon the J6 people. He’s going to utterly go after the border. So there’s a whole lot of issues that he’s already ran on. I imply, criticized a whole lot of it, and I don’t agree with the whole lot both, however it’s plain he really ran on that and been actually upfront,” he defined. “Instantly after the election, I used to be like, ‘Hey, we’ve a selection. We are able to freak out and observe each different factor round like a cat with a laser, you already know… however I’m not that man.”
Then, he revealed precisely how and why it was that he ended up visiting Trump in his lodge home in Florida. “I believe total, it was a optimistic expertise. I imply, he was cordial. It wasn’t in any sort of theater. It wasn’t making an attempt to get your image taken to sort of put one thing out on social media. It was simply actually a dialog. I really spoke [with him] for over an hour,” he defined, including that his spouse was additionally current for the dialog. “One of many issues that we agree on… is the Dreamers [undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children],” Fetterman continued. “Giselle was a part of that neighborhood, and we each had the chance to precise that. Additionally, I’m on the [Agriculture] Committee, and I believe defending the [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamp Program] as nicely [is important] too. Meals Insecurity is a extremely vital challenge.”
“Total, it was only a straight-up dialog,” Fetterman continued to elucidate of his Trump assembly. “I simply have a rule: I’m going to have interaction and have a dialog that’s anybody taking part in it straight, and that’s that’s be doing my job.”
When prompted by Ana Navarro to elucidate the rationale he went to Florida as a substitute of ready till Trump was in Washington D.C. — the “optics” of which she continued to criticize — he mentioned, “Right here’s what occurred. I used to be being lazy on the sofa Friday evening, and my staff reached out… I don’t know if this is sort of a trolling or a hoax, however they prolonged an invite,” he mentioned. “In the event that they’re taking part in it straight, then I believe it’s fairly cheap to have a dialog, inviting me to have interaction, and I visited him. So perhaps some individuals can be vital of that, however you already know, for me partaking the president, I believe if you’re on this enterprise, I imply, that’s a part of the job.”
Fetterman then went on to declare that he desires to see extra of such efforts on his social gathering’s facet: “I’d like extra bipartisan sorts of issues. And you’re going to agree with issues, and also you’re going to disagree on issues. And I’ve at all times mentioned, I’m going to choose my fights.”
Because the dialog continued, Fetterman then issued his distaste for Trump’s pardons of January 6 rioters and responded on to in-name criticism of him by one of many officers who was injured in these assaults. He additionally mentioned that he thought the New York prison prosecution of Trump for monetary crimes related to a porn star payoff was “inappropriate” and politically motivated, and he declined to say what his Senate vote shall be for sure proposed cupboard members.
Maybe most curiously of all, although, was his response to detractors who’ve accused him of planning to change political events and grow to be a Republican.
“I’ve been on document too saying I’m not going to grow to be a Republican… Though perhaps some individuals may be completely happy on one facet, I’d make a fairly horrible Republican, as a result of, [I’m] pro-choice, pro-really sturdy immigration, pro-LGBTQ… I don’t suppose I’d be a very good match. So I’m not going to alter my social gathering,” he declared. “And [if I do], I’m going to indicate up. I’ll be right here. I’ll provide the unique.”
Sen. @JohnFetterman to #TheView: “[Trump] has been doing primarily what he really campaigned on.”
“There’s issues I’m going to agree with, I’m going to disagree with, however I’m within the enterprise of discovering wins for Pennsylvania and for the nation and fascinating the president.” pic.twitter.com/96VIQ6N3is
— The View (@TheView) January 27, 2025
The View, weekdays, 11 a.m. ET, ABC