Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) caused a stir on Tuesday by becoming the first Democratic U.S. senator to post on President-elect Donald Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social. In a bold statement, Fetterman condemned the legal cases against both Trump and Hunter Biden, sparking significant discussion across political lines.
Fetterman’s post read, “My first truth. The Trump hush money and Hunter Biden cases were both bulls—, and pardons are appropriate. Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division.” The statement was accompanied by a screenshot of an MSNBC headline regarding Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s opposition to Trump’s motion to dismiss his hush money case.
The hush money case resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts earlier this year. Sentencing was indefinitely postponed by Judge Juan Merchan following Trump’s Election Day victory. In response to Trump’s motion to dismiss, Bragg argued that such a dismissal would “subvert the compelling public interest in preserving the jury’s unanimous verdict and upholding the rule of law.”
Fetterman’s remarks also followed President Biden’s controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden. The pardon covered offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, including illegal firearm possession and tax-related felonies. Many Democrats, as well as outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times, criticized the pardon. President Biden defended his decision, stating his son was “unfairly” targeted, a viewpoint echoed by Fetterman.
In a recent episode of The View, Fetterman elaborated on his stance, saying, “I think it’s undeniable that the case against Hunter Biden was really politically motivated. But I also think it’s true that the trial in New York for Trump, that was political as well, too. Now, in both cases, I think a pardon is appropriate.”
The Pennsylvania senator argued that these cases have eroded public trust in America’s institutions. “America’s confidence in these kinds of institutions has been damaged by these kinds of cases, and we cannot allow these kinds of institutions to be weaponized against our political opponents,” Fetterman said. “It’s very clear both trials were politically motivated and weaponized on the other side.”
Fetterman’s office did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. His comments continue to fuel debate over the politicization of the justice system and the potential use of pardons to restore public confidence.
