Senator Fetterman Asserts: ‘I Don’t Identify as a Progressive’

Sen. John Fetterman insists that he is “not a progressive,” which marks a change from his previous statements. This comes as backlash is growing from the left within his party over his support of Israel in its war against Hamas and his stance on immigration reform.

Fetterman explained in an interview with NBC News that he is a Democrat who is very committed to choice and other issues, but supports Israel and immigration reform. However, The New York Post reports that he has frequently described himself as a progressive while on the campaign trail and on social media.

He shared a silhouette of himself and Sen. Bernie Sanders, captioned “progressive champions,” in 2016. In 2020, Fetterman posted a tweet directed at former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, where he commented “My dude, I’m a progressive Democrat.”During his campaign for lieutenant governor in Pennsylvania in 2017, he promised to be a “solid progressive backstop” for the state.

However, his progressive declarations have been questioned after he expressed strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas and his refusal of a cease-fire. This has led to backlash from progressives on social media and heckling at public events. His stance on immigration has also been controversial, with Fetterman calling for a reasonable conversation about policies to slow the numbers of migrants coming into the United States across its southern border.

Regardless, Fetterman’s chief of staff has stated that the senator has always held the policy positions he’s claiming now, even though some accuse him of changing his views.