Fetterman Breaks with Schumer on Shutdown, Cites ‘Kirk Assassination’ and ‘Chaos’
In a public split with Senate Democratic leadership, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania announced on Sunday that he will vote against a government shutdown, even if it is to secure Democratic policy goals.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash,” Fetterman said that while he supports extending health care measures, shutting down the government is “absolutely the wrong thing” to do.
Fetterman’s comments directly contradicted Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who had previously stated that a shutdown would be the fault of the Republicans.
“I don’t know who would get the blame,” Fetterman said, “but what people will know is that’s going to have a profound impact on millions of Americans.” He went on to reference the “Kirk assassination and a lot of the other kinds of drama” as reasons why the country does not need more chaos.
The senator’s remarks position him as a key figure in the ongoing budget negotiations, as a handful of Democratic votes would be needed to pass a Republican-led spending bill and prevent a shutdown.
“I will be a Democrat, and I understand that our base wants these kinds of things, but I will be an honest Democrat that says, hey, I think that’s not it,” Fetterman explained.
He also voiced concerns that a government shutdown would empower the current administration and the Office of Management and Budget to “remake the government in all kinds of ways,” including taking away union workers and eliminating government departments.
“I refuse to be a part of things to empower individuals that really want to take away union workers and eliminate more kinds of parts of the government,” Fetterman said.
In a separate segment of the interview, Fetterman offered an optimistic outlook on the Democratic Party’s chances in the 2026 midterm elections, predicting victories in North Carolina and Georgia and expressing confidence in candidates like Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio.
“I feel really good,” he said, citing strong candidates as a key factor. “It’s not a great map for us, but we do have some great candidates.”
READ: Racial Divide On Capitol Hill? Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s Anguish Over Charlie Kirk Vote
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