In a surprising twist that further exposes cracks in the Democratic Party’s shutdown strategy, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) broke ranks this week — blasting his own party’s leadership for keeping the government closed in a politically motivated standoff that’s backfiring badly on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Fetterman’s candid remarks came Monday, October 20, after the Senate failed for the *eleventh* time to pass a Republican-led bill that would reopen the government. The shutdown, now stretching into its third week, has become a political disaster for Democrats, who continue blocking efforts to restore operations in what appears to be a desperate attempt to score points against President Donald Trump.
When pressed by reporters about why Democrats keep voting to prolong the shutdown, Fetterman didn’t hold back. “Wrong — respectfully, wrong to do that,” he said bluntly. “Open up the government.”
Fetterman added that he believes GOP Senate Whip John Thune (R-SD) is “an honorable man” and that Republicans are willing to negotiate in good faith. “We could have a serious conversation to talk about extending these tax credits,” he said, “but we shouldn’t be holding the American people hostage while we argue about it.”
It was a striking rebuke of Schumer’s obstructionist tactics. While the Democratic leader has framed the shutdown as a fight for “fairness” and “working families,” it’s increasingly clear that those families are the ones being hurt most by his political grandstanding.
Fetterman drove that point home, warning that the loss of benefits like SNAP and EBT assistance would hit his Pennsylvania constituents hard. “People need that to eat,” he said. “And now this has become about who’s winning — well, America’s losing.”
He went further, noting that food insecurity was already a major problem even before Democrats decided to keep the government shuttered. “Democrats, your position is hurting your constituents right now,” Fetterman admitted, citing his wife’s work in fighting hunger. “Food insecurity is a real thing. People are living this every day.”
Despite supporting the extension of certain tax credits Democrats have been demanding, Fetterman said those debates should happen *after* the government is reopened. “Because we’re having this political back and forth, it’s wrong,” he said. “We can achieve extending those tax credits, but first — open it up. It’s crazy.”
When asked by reporters about lawmakers leaving Washington every weekend while federal workers go unpaid, Fetterman grew visibly frustrated. “There are no winners here,” he said. “People are going to start getting really hungry… The Capitol Police aren’t getting paid right now. Other people aren’t getting paid. This is just bad political theater.”
Pressed again on whether he still supports Schumer’s leadership, Fetterman hesitated before answering, “Yes, of course, he’s our leader,” but quickly added that he disagrees with the strategy and has said so for months. “We’ve got to keep it open,” he said. “I said back in March this would happen — and here we are.”
The comments are a rare moment of honesty from within the Democratic ranks — and a clear signal that even some in Schumer’s caucus are tired of the political gamesmanship. While Schumer doubles down on using the shutdown to damage Trump, Fetterman’s warning is clear: Americans are the ones paying the price for his cynical power play.
As one Republican aide put it, “When even John Fetterman thinks your shutdown strategy is wrong, it’s time to admit you’ve lost the plot.”
