The political landscape in Pennsylvania grew more tense this week as state representative and DNC vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta publicly called out U.S. Senator John Fetterman.
The social media spat centered on Fetterman’s use of the term “TDS”—or Trump Derangement Syndrome—to describe critics of the current administration’s security protocols.
The friction began after Fetterman attended the White House Correspondents Association dinner, an event marked by the apprehension of a suspected shooter in a botched assassination attempt on President Trump and members of the cabinet.
Following the scare, Fetterman took to X to criticize the venue’s logistics, noting that the space was not designed to protect the high-ranking officials in the line of succession who were in attendance.
“After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these,” Fetterman posted.
READ: Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Questions If Assassination Attempt At WHCD Was “Fake”
Kenyatta, who ran against Fetterman in the 2022 Democratic primary, accused the Senator of turning his back on the very people who helped put him in office.
“Almost every day now, my US Senator comes on this site to attack his constituents and many people who worked hard to elect him,” Kenyatta wrote. He specifically took issue with the Senator suggesting voters have a “syndrome” for their political opposition, concluding his post with: “You’re a mess @JohnFetterman.”
The term “TDS” (Trump Derangement Syndrome) is traditionally used by conservative figures to dismiss intense opposition to the president.
However, Fetterman has recently defended his use of the phrase, arguing that the phenomenon drives the Democratic Party’s decision-making more than any specific policy or leader.
This pivot in rhetoric continues a trend of Fetterman distancing himself from the progressive wing of his party, even as local leaders like Kenyatta signal a growing frustration with his public stance.
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