Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., sharply criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a Fox News appearance Wednesday, accusing the longtime progressive lawmaker of promoting candidates he described as anti-American while calling on Sanders to apologize following the collapse of former Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner’s campaign.
Fetterman made the remarks while discussing Platner’s decision to suspend his campaign against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Platner announced Wednesday that he was dropping out of the race after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced.
Speaking with Fox News host Charlie Hurt, Fetterman questioned why Democratic leaders had embraced Platner’s candidacy in the first place.
“What Democrats, like, saw in that trash bag — what did they see in that guy?” Fetterman said.
When Hurt asked which Democratic figures Fetterman believed should be held responsible, the Pennsylvania senator singled out Sanders.
“Bernie Sanders needs to apologize to the voters of Maine and to, you know, everyone who donated to that trainwreck of a campaign,” Fetterman said.
According to Fetterman, Sanders did more than anyone else to encourage Platner to enter the race.
“He keeps pushing these Communists and these kinda awful anti-American people,” Fetterman said. “So there’s plenty of those people that have to humble themselves, you know, humble yourself and stop pushing, you know, these kinds of people on people in my party.”
Fetterman’s criticism comes despite Sanders having previously supported his own political campaigns. Sanders endorsed Fetterman during his successful 2018 campaign for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor and again during his successful 2022 run for the U.S. Senate.
Platner’s campaign unraveled after a series of allegations became public.
Earlier, several prominent Democrats, including Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., initially continued to support Platner after his former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, accused him of physically abusing her. Platner denied those allegations.
Support for the candidate later faded following a POLITICO report in which another former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021.
Platner denied Racicot’s allegations, calling them “troubling, serious, and false.”
Following those new allegations, Sanders and other Democratic leaders urged Platner to withdraw from the race.
In a statement released Tuesday, Sanders said he had personally spoken with Platner about the future of his campaign.
“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine. In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside,” Sanders said.
Platner announced Wednesday that he would end his campaign against Collins, bringing a dramatic conclusion to a race that had already drawn significant attention.
Fetterman used the moment to argue that Democratic leaders should take responsibility for backing candidates they later abandon. His comments placed particular focus on Sanders, whom he blamed for encouraging Platner’s candidacy before ultimately calling for him to leave the race after additional allegations emerged.
The exchange also highlighted a notable political irony, as Fetterman directed his criticism at a senator who had previously endorsed and supported his own successful statewide campaigns in Pennsylvania.
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