Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman defended his meeting with President Donald Trump on “The View” on Monday, saying that working with the president was part of his job. Fetterman was asked by the show’s hosts about his highly publicized visit to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump ahead of the inauguration, which drew some backlash from members of his party.
Fetterman described the meeting as a “straight-up conversation” where he and his wife spoke to Trump for over an hour about finding common ground on issues such as protecting “Dreamers” and food stamp benefits. He said Trump was “kind” and “cordial” during the meeting and that it was not a photo opportunity.
Fetterman also addressed criticism from his own party, saying, “I’m in the business of finding wins for Pennsylvania and for the nation, and engaging the president – I see that as doing my job.” He added that he was not interested in “freaking out” over Trump, but rather in finding common ground.
Co-host Ana Navarro pointed out that some critics see Fetterman’s meeting with Trump as helping to reinforce the false narrative that Trump is open to working with Democrats. Fetterman acknowledged the need for bipartisanship, but noted that working with the president was part of his job.
Fetterman also shared his initial impression of Trump’s first week in office, saying he had not been surprised by the president’s actions. He noted that Trump had campaigned on many of the policies he has since implemented, including his actions on border security and pardoning those involved in the January 6 insurrection.
