Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has broken ranks with a prominent wing of his party, sharply criticizing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for remarks she made at the Munich Security Conference.
Fetterman blasted the radical congresswoman for accusing Israel of “genocide.”
Appearing on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Fetterman was asked whether he had seen Ocasio-Cortez’s comments from the weekend event in Germany.
“I saw some of it,” Fetterman replied.
“I think that the most troubling thing for her views is she is just, you know, anti-Israel.
“I mean, and those views and, you know, so clueless — to sit in Germany and accuse Israel of genocide while you’re sitting in Germany — and how ignorant that is.”
Fetterman said he did not closely follow what he described as her “flub” regarding Taiwan, a reference to the criticism Ocasio-Cortez faced for her meandering word salad answer about whether the United States would defend Taiwan from a potential Chinese invasion, as well as for incorrectly stating Venezuela’s geographic position.
Instead, the Pennsylvania senator focused on what he called a deeper issue inside the Democratic Party.
He argued that Ocasio-Cortez’s “specifically anti-Israel” comments reflected a “serious rot” within a subset of Democrats.
Controversial “Genocide” Claim
During a town hall at the Munich conference, AOC criticized U.S. support for Israel’s war against Hamas following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks.
“To me, this isn’t just about a presidential election,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws.
“And I think that — personally — that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense,” she continued.
“I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza.
“And I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that don’t — that was completely avoidable.”
She added:
“And, so, I believe that enforcement of our own laws through the Leahy laws — which requires conditioning aid in any circumstance when you see gross human rights violations — is appropriate.”
The Leahy Laws, introduced in 1997 by former Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), prohibit the Department of Defense and the State Department from funding foreign security force units when there is credible information that the unit has committed a “gross violation of human rights.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s genocide allegation drew significant backlash from military analysts and Middle East experts, as well as bipartisan critics who rejected the characterization of Israel’s campaign against Hamas.
A Party Divided
Fetterman’s comments underscore the growing divide within the Democratic Party over Israel.
While progressive lawmakers have increasingly criticized U.S. support for Israel, Fetterman has positioned himself as one of the party’s most outspoken pro-Israel voices.
At the same time, he emphasized the need for Democrats to remain a “big tent” party.
Asked whether he was a “fan” of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Fetterman responded:
“Yes, I mean, I like him personally.
“I don’t agree with him on some of his, you know, views in certain things.
“California is a lot different than Pennsylvania, but you know, technically we are just Democrats, and now that’s why, you know, the Democratic Party has to be a big tent thing, and that’s why we can disagree on some things.”
WATCH:
As Democrats look ahead to future election cycles, the clash between more centrist members like Fetterman and progressive figures such as Ocasio-Cortez highlights the ongoing struggle over the party’s foreign policy direction, particularly on Israel.
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