Chaos is starting to emerge in Washington, D.C. Leftists aren’t sure how to handle it.
And a Democrat Senator has issued a dire warning to his party that they can’t ignore.
In a move that’s got heads turning, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is calling out his own Democratic Party for playing dangerous games with a potential government shutdown. With two massive storms barreling toward the East Coast, Fetterman insists it’s downright reckless to let funding lapse and hobble disaster response efforts.
Fetterman, no stranger to slamming shutdowns in the past, points straight at Hurricane Humberto—once a ferocious Category 5 beast—and Tropical Storm Imelda as reasons to drop the political brinkmanship. He argues that any disruption could spell trouble for emergency operations when Americans need help the most.
“If you have a Cat 5 storm that’s now facing our nation, why would you even have that conversation right now?” Fetterman fired off during his appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” laying into the shutdown debate with unfiltered frustration.
“I sure [hope] things work out and we don’t shut our government down,” he added, making it clear he’s pulling for common sense to prevail over partisan squabbles.
Come midnight Tuesday, if Congress doesn’t get its act together and pass funding for fiscal year 2026 starting October 1, Americans are staring down a partial shutdown. That’s the harsh reality, and it’s got real consequences for everyday folks facing nature’s fury.
Democrats in leadership are digging in their heels, pushing for big wins on healthcare. They’re demanding extensions to those bloated COVID-era boosts to Affordable Care Act subsidies, set to vanish by year’s end, plus a reversal of solid Republican-led Medicaid changes that aimed to cut waste and focus resources.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto ramped up to Category 5 on Saturday but eased to Category 4 by Sunday morning, per the National Weather Service. Its trajectory is veering out to sea, but that doesn’t mean the threat’s over—storms like this can shift fast.
A shutdown would tie FEMA’s hands, blocking them from issuing or renewing vital flood insurance policies just when floods could hit hardest. That’s a nightmare scenario for homeowners already bracing for impact.
Sure, most FEMA staff would stick around during a lapse, but their coffers are draining quick. A major hit from these storms could leave the agency scrambling, unable to mount the full response our communities deserve.
Fetterman stands out as the lone senator who backed both stopgap bills—those continuing resolutions—to dodge a shutdown just days ago. He voted for the straightforward Republican version and the Democrat-favored one loaded with healthcare perks.
With the Senate’s 60-vote hurdle to bust filibusters, GOP lawmakers need Democrat buy-in to move forward. The House greenlit the clean Republican CR but shot down the Dems’ wish-list version.
“I’m at, where I have always been, and I will always remain on is, it is always, always wrong to shut our government down,” Fetterman declared. “That is a core responsibility. I’m always going to vote against those things.”
“And if it’s the Republican side or now it’s our side, I’m going to condemn it,” he continued, showing he’s not afraid to buck his party line for what’s right.
President Trump is stepping up, scheduling a crucial huddle with the top four congressional bosses on Monday to hash out this shutdown mess and keep the government humming.
On Monday, Trump’s also sitting down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underscoring his strong foreign policy stance. Fetterman didn’t hold back praise for Trump’s solid backing of Israel amid global tensions.
“Overall, I have been very pleased [with] the way the president has backed Israel,” Fetterman said, highlighting a rare bipartisan nod. “I think I was the only Democrat that supported the [attack on the] Iranian nuclear facilities.”
“I do think it’s astonishing [that] you have our allies … going to recognize Palestine, when you have human beings held underground, tortured and starved going on two years,” he blasted, calling out the hypocrisy in international dealings.
Fetterman’s stance here exposes the cracks in Democrat unity, especially when it comes to standing firm against threats from Iran and supporting true allies like Israel. It’s a reminder that not all on the left are marching in lockstep with radical agendas.
As these hurricanes churn closer, the last thing America needs is Washington infighting crippling our first responders. Fetterman’s crossing the aisle vibe could be the spark to get a deal done and keep the focus where it belongs—on protecting lives and property.
