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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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Sen. John Fetterman has signaled that he could reach a breaking point with the Democratic Party if Sen. Chris Van Hollen is elevated to Senate majority leader.
Fetterman, who has repeatedly clashed with members of his own party over Israel, suggested that Van Hollen's potential leadership appointment would be troubling because of his criticism of the Israeli government.
Asked during a Fox News interview whether Van Hollen becoming majority leader would represent a red line that could prompt him to leave the Democratic Party, Fetterman responded: "Yeah, absolutely, it would be troubling if my caucus elects someone like Van Hollen that has really made his name being very anti … hostile to Israel."
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His comments come as Van Hollen prepares to challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for the party's top Senate leadership position following Democrats' sweeping victories in the midterm elections.
Fetterman has previously warned that he would consider leaving the Democratic Party if it became "the anti-Israel party."
He also questioned why Democrats were directing so much criticism toward Israel rather than Iran and militant groups including Hezbollah and Hamas.
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Van Hollen Challenges Schumer
Van Hollen announced Thursday that he would challenge Schumer for the Senate leadership position, arguing that Democrats needed a change in direction following the election.
"In this election, Americans called on us to unrig an economy rigged against working people & fueled by political corruption," Van Hollen wrote in a post on X. "To deliver, we need new leadership. This isn't about any one person – it's about answering that call."
Schumer, however, has expressed confidence that he has sufficient support to secure the leadership position.
Several Democrats have indicated they would not support Schumer, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, as well as incoming senators Adam Hamilton of Kansas, Annie Andrews of South Carolina, Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Troy Jackson of Maine.
Democrats currently hold 55 Senate seats following their victories in the midterm elections, giving the party control of the chamber.
The leadership contest could expose divisions within the caucus over its future direction, including disagreements over foreign policy and the party's approach to Israel.
Fetterman's Growing Divide With Democrats
Fetterman has increasingly found himself at odds with Democratic colleagues over the Middle East, immigration and government spending. He has been one of Israel's most vocal supporters in the Senate, opposing Democratic efforts to restrict or block certain weapons sales to the country.
He was also the only Senate Democrat to oppose a motion on a resolution restricting President Donald Trump's war powers over Iran.
On immigration, Fetterman has called for stronger border security and opposed Democratic proposals to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, including efforts to prohibit agents from wearing masks.
Last year, he also broke with most of his Democratic colleagues by supporting Republican-sponsored legislation to reopen the federal government, despite opposition from Democrats seeking additional concessions over healthcare spending and Affordable Care Act subsidies.
His positions have attracted praise from Republicans, including Trump, who has previously said he would like to see Fetterman join the GOP.
However, Fetterman has pushed back against suggestions that he is preparing to leave the Democratic Party. In a May opinion piece for The Washington Post, he described himself as a "terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats."
His latest comments suggest that his support for Israel remains a significant dividing line between him and sections of his party.
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