Fetterman: Those hoping Trump fails are ‘rooting against the nation’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says he hopes President-elect Trump is successful, and spoke out against those who feel otherwise. 

Fetterman appeared Sunday on ABC’S ‘This Week.’ His more than 10-minute sit-down segment was pre-recorded with co-anchor Jonathan Karl. 

‘I’m not rooting against him,’ the Democratic senator said. ‘If you’re rooting against the president, you are rooting against the nation. And and I’m not ever going to be where I want a president to fail. So, country first. I know that’s become maybe like a cliche, but it happens to be true.’

The senator told Karl he never believed Trump’s movement was about fascism, while noting that it was Vice President Kamala Harris’ ‘prerogative’ to call Trump a fascist during her campaign.

‘Fascism, that’s not a word that regular people use, you know?’ Fetterman said. ‘I think people are going to decide who is the candidate that’s going to protect and project, you know, my version of the American way of life, and that’s what happened.’

Fetterman has been meeting with Trump’s Cabinet nominees, noting that his decision about whether to vote to confirm the candidates will stem from an open mind and informed perspective.

‘I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees. That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon,’ Fetterman declared in a post on X.

‘My votes will come from an open mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job,’ he continued.

More than a month ago, Fetterman said Democrats cannot afford to ‘freak out’ over everything Trump says or does. He echoed that sentiment on Sunday, again mentioning that Trump has not even taken office yet. 

Fox News’ Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.