John Fetterman Says Democrats Have Become ‘The TDS Party’ Over Trump And Iran

John Fetterman delivered another political gut punch to his own party Wednesday — accusing Democrats of sliding into “Trump Derangement Syndrome” while defending President Donald Trump’s hardline posture toward Iran.

During a podcast interview with libertarian journalist Nick Gillespie, the Pennsylvania Democrat made clear he trusts the Trump administration far more than America’s foreign adversaries when it comes to assessing the growing conflict with the Islamic Republic.

“100%, I trust the Trump administration, and Trump a hell of a lot more than I would ever trust the Iranians or the Chinese or the Russians,” Fetterman said.

Then came the line certain to ignite backlash from the Democratic base.

“We are all Americans. That’s what we’re forgetting,” Fetterman said. “The Democratic Party can’t become the TDS party. … And clearly that’s where we are right now.”

💥NEW: John Fetterman🇺🇸

“100% I trust the Trump administration and Trump a h*ll of a lot more than I would ever trust the Iranians, Chinese or Russians … We are all Americans.”

“The Democratic Party can’t become the TDS Party … And clearly that’s where we are right now.” pic.twitter.com/7KvqfqoLCZ

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) May 13, 2026

The swing-state senator stopped short of endorsing every tactical decision surrounding the Iran conflict, adding: “That does not mean you agree on every tactic that’s happened. I don’t appreciate the gamification of the Iranian war.”

Still, Fetterman sharply criticized what he described as glaring double standards within progressive foreign policy activism — especially when comparing outrage over Gaza to relative silence over the Iranian regime’s brutality toward its own citizens.

“We have a nuclear power at the cusp, and it’s entirely appropriate to hold them accountable for what they’ve done,” Fetterman said.

“And clearly a lot of people in the world care and had strong opinions on Gaza, well then, why don’t you have the same kinds of views and condemn Iran too?”

The senator referenced the Iranian regime’s violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, which human rights groups and international observers have long accused Tehran of suppressing with mass arrests, executions, and deadly force.

“The same people that were outraged about the war in Gaza,” Fetterman said, “they gave no f*cks about Iran executing 30,000, 40,000 of its young people. Zero college campuses.”

💥NEW: John Fetterman: “The same people that were outraged about the war in Gaza, they gave no f*cks about Iran executing 30,000-40,000 of its young people.” pic.twitter.com/JixRgkxldl

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) May 13, 2026

Since Hamas’ October 7 massacre in Israel, Fetterman has increasingly separated himself from the activist wing of the Democratic Party, emerging as one of the Senate’s most outspoken pro-Israel Democrats.

Gillespie pressed Fetterman on why progressive activism appeared so heavily concentrated against Israel while drawing far less attention toward Iran’s regime.

“It’s because the rifles weren’t in Jewish hands,” Fetterman replied.

He went further, accusing parts of the American left and university culture of enabling antisemitism.

“Without a doubt, without a doubt, my party’s become intensely anti-Israel,” Fetterman said.

“And it’s strange to me the most progressive part of the American conversation, we won’t stand, and we will betray the one single nation in the region that has the kinds of values and lives the way it has.”

💥NEW: Nick Gillespie: “What would drive people to care that much about Gaza and then not care about Iranian protesters being killed?”

John Fetterman: “It’s because the rifles weren’t in Jewish hands.” pic.twitter.com/xzzLPSU646

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) May 13, 2026

The remarks are likely to deepen tensions inside a Democratic Party already fractured over Israel, Gaza, Iran, and the broader direction of American foreign policy heading into the 2026 election cycle.