Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said he has developed an unexpected rapport with Dr. Mehmet Oz—now serving as director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services—despite their bruising 2022 Senate race, highlighting his broader critique of rising political hostility and what he has described elsewhere as “Trump Derangement Syndrome” within his own party.
In an interview released Tuesday with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Fetterman reflected on his past rivalry with Oz, whom he defeated to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. While acknowledging the race “got nasty,” Fetterman emphasized a level of personal respect that has carried over into their post-election interactions.
“You know that that campaign got nasty, but you know he’s undeniably, he’s a brilliant guy and I’ve had heart issues,” Fetterman told Hannity. “I would have no problem to have him operate on me, either.”
Fetterman, who suffered a stroke in May 2022 during the campaign, said the experience reshaped how he views political conflict and personal animosity.
“I’ve had a near death experience,” Fetterman added. “I don’t, I don’t carry any of that stuff and you know, we’re in the business that there is, part of it is just professional wrestling and then the more it gets more and more personal, like, that’s really in the wrong direction and things get really, really kind of bitter… and when you are openly telling people to you know, fuck off, or call these kinds of names that’s become the new normal and that’s just the wrong direction.”
Watch:
The Pennsylvania Democrat has increasingly positioned himself as willing to break with his party on a range of issues, drawing criticism from some progressives. He has faulted fellow Democrats for what he has characterized in other remarks as an excessive focus on former President Donald Trump—often referred to by critics as “Trump Derangement Syndrome”—arguing that it distracts from pragmatic policymaking and alienates voters.
Fetterman’s recent positions reflect that independence. He criticized Democrats for blocking a spending bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security and backed Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S.-Israeli military effort targeting Iran’s military capabilities. He has also defended Trump-era strikes against suspected drug smugglers and taken a more moderate stance on election policy.
“For me as a Democrat, just fundamentally at the end of the day showing basic, basic, ID to vote is a very reasonable idea,” Fetterman told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo during a Feb. 17 appearance on “Mornings with Maria.”
His willingness to cross party lines—and to openly criticize Democratic messaging—has fueled speculation that he could face a primary challenge when he seeks reelection in 2028.
