John Fetterman’s wife is notably missing in crowd at Fox News debate as he tears into Democrat colleagues on top Trump issue

Democrat senator John Fetterman has issued a new attack on his own party over how it handled immigration under Joe Biden.

Fetterman was taking on fellow Pennsylvania senator Dave McCormick, a Republican, in a debate at the at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston.

During the course of Monday’s forum, the two discussed several issues of both national and global importance including the war between Israel and Hamas, the importance of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran, and the need for increased security on America’s southern border. 

Fetterman pointed to a provision to increase border funding as one he can support in the Republican government spending package known as President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’

It was sent to the Senate by the House of Representatives in the final hours before the Congressional Memorial Day recess last month.

Calling out members of his own political party, Fetterman noted that his ‘party did not handle the border appropriately.’

‘If I had to find something in that, the big, beautiful bill that I can support that, and that’s a mistake that our party made, and that’s the border. I absolutely support those kinds of investment to make our border security as well…’ 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., left, and Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Penn., right, greet before participating in a debate moderated by Fox News anchor Shannon Bream, not shown, Monday, June 2, 2025 

Pennsylvania senator Dave McCormick, a Republican, participated in a debate at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston on Monday, June 2, 2025

‘I thought the border was really important, and our party did not handle the border appropriately’ Fetterman argued.

Overall, Fetterman still plans to oppose the government funding package due to provisions such as cutting Medicaid, as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

The Democrat Senator’s wife Gisele Baretto Fetterman wasn’t seen in the crowd during Mondays debate.

In a bombshell New York Magazine report last month it was claimed Gisele – a formerly undocumented immigrant from Brazil, and a vocal progressive – dislikes her husband’s staunch public defense of Israel.

‘They [Israel] are bombing refugee camps. How can you support this?’ she reportedly asked her husband, according to a staffer who spoke to the magazine.

In a text to a staffer she also reportedly described how Fetterman was ‘fighting to get access of the Twitter account… Please promise me that he’ll never have access.’

Gisele has become somewhat of a political star in her own right. 

Last month, Politico columnist Bill Scher included Gisele on his roster of a proposed Democrat ‘Shadow Cabinet’ to be created to oppose the Trump Administration’s policy agenda. Gisele was suggested by Scher for the role of Shadow Secretary of Homeland Security.

In her most recent post on X made in February, she wrote about the issue of immigration: ‘I still hate politics but I [heart emoji] people and I believe all people deserve to feel safe in their homeland. And if your home is a chosen one, then you should also feel safe there.’

A shadow cabinet is present in parliamentary governance systems in nations such as Canada and the United Kingdom. 

Senator Fetterman also had the chance to publicly address a call made on Sunday by the Philadelphia Inquirer – one of the duo’s more prominent home state newspapers – for him to step aside. 

In an opinion piece published by the Inquirer’s editorial board Sunday, Fetterman was told ‘to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away’ due to what the board believes is a neglect of his duties as a U.S. Senator. Fetterman was bashed for missing votes, and for his lack of travel around the Commonwealth. 

Battleground Pennsylvania senators – Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick – faced off at a Fox News co-hosted forum to debate on June 2nd, 2025

U.S. Senator John Fetterman addressed concerns over missed votes during a Fox News co-hosted forum on June 2nd, 2025

Fetterman responded that the votes he has missed have been ‘procedural’ in nature, adding: ‘At this point I’m hearing I’m doing that job, I’m defending on all those things and all of those important votes, I’ve always been there.’

‘We all know those votes that I’ve missed were on Monday. Those are travel days, and I have three young kids and I, those are throwaway procedural votes that there were never determinative. They were important. That’s a choice that I made,’ Fetterman concluded.

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