Fetterman voted – Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to oppose a Senate resolution advancing the end of President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran. Two days later, his chief of staff resigned, triggering renewed scrutiny of how Fetterman’s break with his party—on
For the second time in less than a week, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman stood apart from his own party on Iran—an isolation that did not stay contained to the chamber.
On May 19, the Senate advanced a measure aimed at ending the war in Iran by a 50-47 vote. Fetterman—senator from Pennsylvania—was the only Democrat to vote against directing President Donald Trump to end his military actions in Iran.
Two days after that vote, Fetterman’s chief of staff, Cabelle St. John, resigned.
That sequence—one dissenting vote, then a leadership shake-up—has put Fetterman’s relationship with Trump-era foreign policy and the inner workings of his office under sharper focus, especially given how often he has already diverged from Democrats on other national fights.
The Senate advanced the resolution on May 19, but it has not yet become law. The measure now goes to the Republican-controlled House. Even if it passes there, it is considered likely that Trump would veto it.
The resolution would direct Trump to “remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran. unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force.” Democrats have argued that Trump has crossed the 60-day deadline that allows a president to engage in military hostilities abroad without congressional authorization. while the Trump Administration has pushed back.
Trump defended his approach in a May 1 letter to lawmakers, arguing that hostilities against Iran had been “terminated” and that a formal congressional declaration of war was not necessary.
Fetterman had already broken with his party on Iran less than a week earlier. On May 13. the Senate cast a similar deciding vote on a resolution to stop Trump from attacking Iran without limits. and Fetterman voted against it as well. The May 19 vote marked the eighth time he has voted against stopping Trump from attacking Iran without restriction.
That Iran record sits inside a broader pattern of divergence. The vote on May 19 included support from nearly all Democrats; all Democrats except Fetterman voted in favor of the war powers resolution. They were joined by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-LA; Lisa Murkowski, R-AK; Susan Collins, R-ME; and Rand Paul, R-KY. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-NC; John Cornyn, R-TX; and Tommy Tuberville, R-AL did not cast a vote either way.
Two days after the May 19 dissent, St. John resigned.
According to reporting, St. John’s departure was linked to longtime frustrations, some of which involved Fetterman’s relationship with David “Dovi” Safier, described as a fundraiser for Othodox Jewish causes who has an “unusually large influence” over Fetterman.
The resignation also landed at a moment when office churn has been a recurring story around Fetterman. St. John was described as the third chief of staff to leave Fetterman’s office since he joined the Senate in 2023. and she served in the role for less than a year. The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported that St. John was the final original staffer on his team and that she began as his scheduler when he entered the Senate.
Axios reported that Fetterman has experienced massive turnover because of his support of Israel, his attitude toward Trump, and interpersonal issues.
Fetterman addressed the turnover narrative directly in a comment to Axios, sharing an image showing other offices with turnover rates purportedly higher than his own. “So much for the turnover issue. Clicks!” he wrote.
The question now hanging over the Iran vote is whether the timing of St. John’s resignation—two days after Fetterman voted against ending Trump’s actions in Iran—means the office fracture was connected to his position.
The reporting that tied St. John’s resignation to frustrations includes details about internal dynamics and influence in the senator’s orbit. But those facts also sit alongside a long-running explanation Fetterman has given for opposing Democratic-led efforts to curtail Trump’s military actions: he has said the need is to hold Iran accountable.
That logic appears in how he frames his broader pro-Israel posture. In 2023. Fetterman took a hardline stance compared to other Democrats in supporting Israel and its military action in Gaza. according to The Hill. As Trump’s attacks in Iran continued, the distance between Fetterman and much of the Democratic caucus has widened.
Philadelphia Inquirer reporting says Fetterman has consistently voted against measures to curtail the president’s military actions. He has gone as far as saying Trump’s attacks were warranted to stop the development of a nuclear weapon and to destroy the country’s theocratic regime.
In a May 7 column in the Washington Post. Fetterman wrote that the “leading state sponsor of terror should be held accountable.” He added: “In the wake of the war in Gaza. Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah have ramped up their attempts to dismantle our ally.” He said he remained committed to “fully backing the elimination of these terrorists and their leaders.”.
Not every split is about foreign policy. GovTrack’s Ideology-Leadership Chart described him as an ideological Democrat. but one with several Democratic senators closer to the Republican Party. He has voted in favor of Trump’s cabinet picks, publicly criticized Democrats, and often appeared on Fox News.
As speculation grew about whether he could switch parties, Pennsylvania’s GOP Chair Senator Greg Rothman said in April that he was watching to see if Fetterman would jump ship, according to The Patriot-News.
Several votes have added fuel to the speculation in recent months:
In March 2026, Fetterman voted to confirm Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, breaking with the majority of Democrats in the upper chamber.
In fall 2025, he voted with Republicans to end the government shutdown.
He also voted with Republicans to approve an annual Department of Homeland Security bill without added restrictions on federal immigration enforcement.
His standing with voters inside Pennsylvania appears to reflect the split in party politics around him. A February 2026 Quinnipiac University poll showed 46% of Pennsylvania voters approve of Fetterman’s performance, while 40% disapprove. Among Republicans, he was up 74%–18%, while among Democrats he was down 62%–22%, according to reporting from Punchbowl News.
Fetterman said the popularity gap is confusing. In March, he discussed it with Chris Cuomo on News Nation, explaining that he votes at high rates with Democrats and hasn’t supported major Trump-aligned legislative efforts.
“I. [in] some strange way. I am more popular with Republicans. which is. it’s confusing because I vote. I vote in the 90s (percentage-wise) Dem line. and I didn’t. and I haven’t [voted] for the big ticket Trump ones like ‘big. beautiful bill’ or SAVE Act. and for those things. ” he told Cuomo. as reported by The Hill.
He added: “So, I mean, there’s a lot of misinformation, I guess, but I am guilty of being a very proud supporter of Israel, and then I do support [Operation] Epic Fury.”
His political base still draws from Pennsylvania’s political math. On Election Night in 2022, Fetterman won Allegheny County with 63.4% of the vote, or 363,873 votes. Republican challenger Dr. Mehmet Oz received 34.9%, or 200,672. The Pittsburgh area and Allegheny County votes made up more than 13.2% of Fetterman’s 2,751,012 total votes in 2022.
Fetterman is not up for re-election until 2028.
For now. the Iran vote and the staff resignation have turned a long-running story—his willingness to break with Democrats—into a faster-moving. higher-stakes moment. The Senate advanced a war powers measure on May 19 despite Fetterman’s “no. ” and the resolution’s path still runs through a House controlled by Republicans. But inside his own office. the question is already sharpened: why did the leadership shift arrive two days after he cast the lone Democratic opposition to ending the war in Iran?.
John Fetterman Senate war powers resolution Iran Donald Trump Cabelle St. John chief of staff resignation Pennsylvania politics Israel Markwayne Mullin DHS
So he voted no on ending the Iran war? That’s crazy.
I’m not sure why people act like this is some mastermind move. If he’s “against ending” then yeah obviously his staff would quit. Kinda feel like everyone’s just trying to dunk on him at this point.
Wait… his chief of staff resigned TWO days after he voted no? That sounds like the office was already mad about it and the vote was just the final straw. But also, if the resolution isn’t law yet then what’s the big deal like, did Iran even get anything from this?
This is what happens when politicians can’t pick a lane. I swear I saw somewhere that he supports Trump but now he’s “isolated” from Democrats? Sounds like he’s trying to be tough on Iran for votes, then he backpedals and his staff’s like nope. Also the headline makes it sound like he ended something himself lol.