During a live segment on ‘The View,’ Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., found himself under fire for his decision to vote to end the 41-day government shutdown. Co-host Sunny Hostin accused him of political weakness, comparing his actions to ‘bringing a butter knife to a gunfight.’ Hostin highlighted the criticism from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Gavin Newsom, both of whom had called the move to end the shutdown a concession to the GOP. She also pointed out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s criticism of the Democratic Party, arguing that Fetterman, and by extension Democrats, were risking healthcare costs for Pennsylvaian residents by not holding firm on negotiations. Fetterman, however, defended the decision, noting that the shutdown was causing chaos for millions of Americans, including those reliant on SNAP benefits and military personnel. He also cited Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s comments, which emphasized that the Democrats’ election wins should not be used to justify keeping the government closed.
Fetterman, who has consistently aligned with GOP senators on reopening the government, argued that the shutdown was fundamentally wrong.