Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) suggested that it is his duty to meet with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees.
Fetterman maintained that his decision about whether to vote to confirm the candidates will stem from an open mind and informed perspective.
“I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees. That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon,” Fetterman said in a post on X.
“My votes will come from an open-mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job,” he continued.
Trump has tapped Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Hegseth to serve as secretary of defense, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for the role of director of national intelligence.
Fetterman has previously noted that he plans to support Stefanik, it is unclear whether he will ultimately back Hegseth and Gabbard for confirmation.
He has also pledged to support Sen. Marco Rubio’s confirmation to serve as secretary of state.
“Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own,” Fetterman noted in a post on X last month. “That being said, my colleague @SenMarcoRubio is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation.”
