Democratic Senator John Fetterman appeared via surprise video at the Republican Party's midterm convention, praising President Donald Trump and Republican Senator Dave McCormick while distancing himself from what he called his own party's "extremes and socialism." The unusual gesture from a sitting Democratic senator underscores his growing rift with Democratic leadership and the party's left, and hands Republicans a high-profile crossover endorsement as Trump prepares to rally GOP voters ahead of the November midterms.

Fetterman praised McCormick, who is seeking re-election, as a senator who "gets the job done" and pledged to work with him and Trump to protect Pennsylvania's steel industry. He has repeatedly broken with his party over Israel, immigration and Trump's military action against Iran, and has said he would consider leaving the Democrats if the party became "the anti-Israel party." Fetterman and McCormick, who ran against each other in 2022, have since formed a bipartisan joint fundraising committee, and Fetterman described him as "a different party" but "my great friend."