It's been fun these past few months watching as a motley assortment of folks made their way to Mar-a-Lago to pay homage to President-elect Donald Trump, and it certainly had to be gratifying for Mr. Trump himself after years of being treated abominably by the media, big tech, a corrupt judicial system and various self-appointed mouthpieces for the left.
The latest to beat a path to Palm Beach was Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who made the trek to meet with Trump this past weekend. Nothing ruffles the feathers of the left and their media lapdogs more than the thought of a Democrat working with a Republican, especially when that Republican is Donald Trump. It's simply not done.
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To his credit, Fetterman had some fun with the media, who literally followed him into his Senate office demanding answers about why he was meeting with Trump. Here's RedState's Nick Arama on the Senator's response:
They pursued him to his office in the Senate and pressed him on the news about visiting Mar-a-Lago. Fetterman was a bit exasperated with their pressure, "What are we talking about here?" and so he shot back with a joke.
"I demand that I need to be made Pope of Greenland," he quipped.
The backlash over his intention to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago prompted Fetterman to put out this tweet:
I’m not just a Senator for Democrats—I’m a Senator for all Pennsylvanians.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) January 9, 2025
It’s my job to find common ground and deliver results for everybody.
And because nobody is my gatekeeper, I will meet with anyone to secure some wins, including President Trump. pic.twitter.com/H6MhmYBJXd
As it turns out, Trump didn't offer to make Fetterman "Pope of Greenland," but the incoming president did have some kind words for the senator following their meeting:
“It was a totally fascinating meeting. He’s a fascinating man, and his wife is lovely. They were both up, and I couldn’t be more impressed,” Trump said of Fetterman and his wife Gisele after the hourlong meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
Per Trump, the two discussed a wide range of topics, including the future of U.S. Steel, their mutual support for Israel, the need for border security, and the geopolitical implications of the United States acquiring Greenland.
The topic of U.S. Steel seemed to provide a moment of bipartisanship, as both apparently expressed opposition to the proposed $14 billion acquisition by Nippon Steel, a deal recently blocked by President Joe Biden due to national security concerns. Fetterman and Trump aligned with steelworkers' union leaders, who have voiced fears that a merger could lead to costly reductions in U.S. Steel's production capacity.
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Fetterman is the first Democrat senator to engage directly with Trump since his win on November 5th, which is a good indication that bipartisanship will be in short supply once Trump takes office next week. Fetterman's willingness to reach across the aisle will be key in advancing elements of Trump's broader agenda, and particularly in getting Trump's nominees approved by the Senate.
Just last week, Fetterman proved his growing influence within the Democrat Party when he co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act, which would allow federal officials to detain and possibly deport illegals who are arrested for non-violent crimes like shoplifting and larceny. Republicans would like nothing more than to have this piece of legislation on President-elect Trump's desk on his first day in office, so Democrats, naturally, would like nothing more than to make sure it doesn't land there, possibly ever.
Undaunted, Fetterman led a small group of Senate Democrats in support of the bill, which has already passed in the House, and the legislation will now be debated in the Senate.
Make no mistake, John Fetterman is no conservative, but his openness to working with Trump and Senate Republicans could be the key to getting the Trump 2.0 agenda passed.
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