Fetterman defends Trump for sidelining affordability during Iran war: ‘Said something that got clipped’
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) on Wednesday rose to President Donald Trump’s defense on a controversial remark he made on the Iran war, arguing that critics missed valuable context.
During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Fetterman referenced a comment Trump made on Tuesday, when he said, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” as a motivating factor for him to make a deal with Iran and end the conflict. Fetterman pointed to the rest of Trump’s statement, in which the president said his only focus in making a deal is cutting off Iran’s capacity to create nuclear bombs. Trump’s team has said he made the decision to attack Iran after the country told the U.S. that it had enough enriched uranium to make 11 nuclear bombs within 10 days.
“I mean, he said something that got clipped,” Fetterman said. “But what he really was saying, what he did say, is like, ‘I am really thinking that we can’t ever let Iran build a bomb.’ And I mean that’s exactly, that’s the essence of what that is, and to hold that line. I mean, how could we just walk away and not let that, you know, let that happen.”
Fetterman said that, because Iran has funded terrorism across the globe, including through Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, “the whole world” should join in with the U.S. in demanding Iran end their nuclear program. The Pennsylvania senator also criticized Democratic colleagues for opposing Trump on the war.
“People in my party have forgotten that the Iranians actually are the really bad guy,” he said. “You know, they’re the ones that organized 10/7. They’re the ones who created Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis now.”
Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) have also been forced to rise to Trump’s defense after the president made the comment during a press gaggle at the White House earlier this week.
At the time, a reporter asked him how much he thinks about Americans’ “financial situation” as he seeks an end to the war.
“Not even a little bit,” Trump said. “The only thing that matters, when I’m talking about Iran: They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all. That’s the only thing that motivates.”
“Every American understands — and they just had a poll like 85%, which is surprising, it’s only that they understand that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” the president added.
Later on in the press gaggle, another reporter asked Trump to clarify his comment. The president expressed confidence that the public would accept short-term financial unease with the understanding that, post-war, the stock market would resurge due to falling energy costs.
“Now, if the stock market goes up or down a little bit, the American people understand [because] when it’s over, you’re going to have a massive drop in the price of oil,” Trump said. “When this war is over, oil is going to drop. The stock market is going to go through the roof. And truly, I think we’re in the golden age right now. You’re going to see a golden age like we’ve never seen before. … As soon as this war is over, you’re going to see numbers like you’ve never seen before.”
“If Iran has a nuclear weapon, the whole world would be in trouble because they happen to be crazy, they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Fetterman said he was proud to stand with the president on Iran and touted his deciding vote on a war powers resolution on Wednesday. Due to Fetterman’s Senate vote against party lines, Trump continues to hold critical executive authority in the Iran war.
“I’m the only Democrat that voted for that, because all the other Democrats, we’ve all said in the past, we can’t let Iran build the nuclear bomb,” Fetterman said. “And now, when someone did something about that to really prevent that, you know, why wouldn’t I support that? So I’m proud to have that vote.”
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