Under fire for his controversial statements on Israel and immigration, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has publicly rejected progressive ideals from his past campaigns and garnered right-wing support despite calling himself a progressive Democrat for years.

During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper in early December, Fetterman voiced that he is “on the right side of issues,” declaring that he is pro-choice, pro-union, and pro-Israel. The left wing of his party criticized Fetterman’s pro-Israel rhetoric, especially amidst the country’s war with Hamas and the rejection of the Senate immigration negotiations that Fetterman had supported. 

“It would seem that his continued support of Israel would be in alignment with what has been for a long time the established stance of the Democratic Party,” James Kowalski, former AP US History teacher, said. “I mean, the so-called Progressive wing is a much newer phenomenon than the Democratic Party overall and its stances on Israel. The things he believes in are his choice.” 

In a separate interview on ABC’s, ‘The View,’ Fetterman reiterated he does not support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, “Primarily because I believe that Israel has the right, but I also think it has the imperative, to destroy Hamas.” 

“I think it is disappointing to see such a prominent politician, especially one who has been so progressive on such matters as the legalization of cannabis and minimum wage increases as Fetterman, turn a blind eye to the clear humanitarian crisis and violations of international law being committed by Israel,” Tyler Castaño (11), avid political observer, said. 

His evident disapproval of the ceasefire movement serves as only one of the points of contention between him and congressional progressives. Fetterman has expressed his backing for the bipartisan endeavors of Senate negotiators to reach an agreement on immigration policy, which is intricately linked to support for Ukraine and Israel. Nonetheless, progressives in Congress contend that the talks have overlooked the concerns of Latinos and fear that the negotiations may result in harsh policies. 

Fetterman had previously gained the trust of the people through his populist outsiderness and empathy towards all individuals. However, as stated by Waleed Shahid, a progressive organizer who rallies criticism of US support for Israel, “his jingoistic support of this war has made many people feel that he holds a hierarchy of human value where Israeli lives are simply more important to him than Palestinians.”

“It is surprising to see that Fetterman is making such an abrupt transition like this,” Alex Lee (11), political commentator, said. “His views around the war are highly ignorant, and I definitely believe he should recalibrate to truly embody the values that won him trust in the first place.”

On the other hand, Republicans characterized his transition as a “pleasant surprise,” with politicians like Christopher Nicholas commending Fetterman’s unapologetic take on Israel and the border policy. 

Additionally, Pennsylvania Democrats in Congress also demonstrated positive reactions: “What I see—and I’ve had the chance to run into him a couple of times recently—is a man that is doing well, that is his own person that stands on his own two feet, even if it’s in shorts,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., who represents a suburban Philadelphia-area district. “And he’s standing up for what he believes in. So I wouldn’t characterize it another way. I’m just happy he’s serving.”