Watch: John Fetterman’s heated airplane spat caught on camera



A resurfaced video from February has people looking at Democrat Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman.

Video footage captures him arguing with the pilot on an American Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh over a seatbelt issue.

Pat Gray plays the clip.

In the video, the pilot asks if Fetterman has his seatbelt on, to which he responds, “Yes, it is.”

“Okay, it needs to be visible for the crew at all times. That’s not an us thing; it’s a federal regulation,” the pilot added, offering a seatbelt extender for comfort.

Fetterman, however, refused to comply, culminating in a tense exchange.

“If you want to go to Pittsburgh, it’s simple, you’re going to have to follow our instructions or be asked to get off the airplane,” the exasperated pilot says.

It’s unclear whether or not Fetterman eventually complied, as the video ends abruptly.

Although the spat happened in February, it gained attention after New York magazine published an article on May 2 about concerns regarding Fetterman’s mental health. The piece referred to the airplane incident as an example of his alleged erratic behavior, prompting the video to go viral.

“I mean, nobody got out of control, which is good,” says Pat, calling the regulation “obnoxious.”

“Kudos to John Fetterman. He didn't drop the ‘do you know who I am’ card,” says Keith Malinak.

The panel is mostly just celebrating that the incident happened on an American Airlines flight — which they prefer to call “unAmerican Airlines.”

“Put that in your pipe and smoke it,” laughs Pat.

To see the video footage of Fetterman’s airplane tiff, watch the episode above.

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'Anger parts of my base'

Senate Dems side with Schumer, sidestepping government shutdown



Senate Democrats caved and voted alongside Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), reaching across the aisle to pass the Republican-led continuing resolution Friday just hours before the funding deadline.

The CR advanced in a 62-38 vote, with 10 Democrats joining 52 Republicans to pass the funding bill.

In addition to Schumer, Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Gary Peters of Michigan, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted in support of the bill. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only GOP senator to vote against the CR.

Although the CR passed the House with a simple majority on Tuesday, the Senate required 60 votes for the CR to clear a procedural hurdle known as cloture. Because Republicans hold just 53 seats, they needed Democrats to join them and avert a shutdown.

'Democrats must not buy in to this false choice. We must fight back for a better way.'

While Democrats ultimately aided Republicans, many were furious with Schumer and other senators who sided with him to pass a Trump-backed funding bill.

Democrats, including Schumer, initially signaled that they would vote in lockstep to sink the CR and shut down the government. Many Democrats also proposed an alternative 30-day funding extension, which would allow them to negotiate a different CR. But Democrats are the minority party in both the House and the Senate, making this an unrealistic option.

Schumer quickly pivoted from his original advocacy for a shutdown and instead urged his colleagues to pass the CR, arguing that a shutdown is worse than an unfavorable funding package.

"It's not really a decision; it's a Hobson's choice," Schumer said in a floor speech Thursday. "Either proceed with the bill before us, or risk Donald Trump rowing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This, in my view, is no choice at all. While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse."

Schumer's reversal outraged his Democratic colleagues, sparking murmurs of potential primary challengers like Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

"I think it is a huge slap in the face, and I think that there's a wide sense of betrayal," Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Thursday.

It wasn't just the rank and file who were upset with Schumer. Without explicitly naming him, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) both disavowed Schumer's approach.

"House Democrats will not be complicit," Jeffries said. "We remain strongly opposed to the partisan spending bill under consideration in the Senate."

"Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America," Pelosi said in a statement Friday. "Let's be clear: Neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable."

"Democrats must not buy in to this false choice," Pelosi added. "We must fight back for a better way."

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Democrat civil war brews as Schumer caves on looming shutdown



Democrats have once again found themselves in disarray as the party attempts to navigate the impending shutdown.

After the House Republicans passed their continuing resolution Tuesday almost along party lines, all eyes have been on Senate Democrats. In order to bring the CR to the floor, the Senate must first clear a procedural vote called cloture, which requires 60 senators to pass.

The GOP holds 53 seats, and Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already said he will vote against the CR, which means at least eight Democrats will have to reach across the aisle and vote to pass the bill if they want to avoid a shutdown. Up until yesterday, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat who said he would vote in favor of the CR.

'While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse.'

At the same time, the CR is studded with anomalies that Democrats have opposed, such as extra funds for ICE and cuts to community projects.

This leaves Democrats with a seemingly impossible choice to either fund the government with President Donald Trump's funding bill or shut it down altogether. While Republicans have remained relatively united, this conundrum is actively fracturing the Democratic Party.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) initially signaled that he was in support of a shutdown, with many other Democrats joining him and digging their heels in. But since then, Schumer has had an 11th-hour conversion, announcing Thursday evening that he would be voting in favor of the CR, sending the Democratic Party into a frenzy.

"It's not really a decision; it's a Hobson's choice," Schumer said in a floor speech. "Either proceed with the bill before us, or risk Donald Trump rowing America into the chaos of a shutdown. This, in my view, is no choice at all. While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse."

President Trump later thanked Schumer on social media for demonstrating "courage" and pledging to support the CR.

"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing — Took 'guts' and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming. We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning!"

High-profile Democrats immediately began to tear into Schumer following his reversal. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) called his decision a "betrayal," and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also expressed strong opposition without explicitly naming Schumer.

Some reports are even suggesting that Democrats will prop up primary opponents to unseat Schumer following his stunt.

"There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territories in the United States, who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people ... just to see some Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk," Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. "I think it is a huge slap in the face, and I think that there's a wide sense of betrayal."

"House Democrats will not be complicit," Jeffries said. "We remain strongly opposed to the partisan spending bill under consideration in the Senate."

House and Senate Democrats originally devised an alternative funding bill that would extend funding for 30 days and theoretically allow them to craft a CR they could support. That being said, this strategy has been a tough sell for Democrats, as they are in the minority in both the House and the Senate, giving them little to no bargaining power.

Even still, Schumer's surrender has been a sore outlier for the Democratic Party, with several senators insisting that they won't cave the way their leader did. Some reports are even suggesting that Democrats will prop up primary opponents — perhaps even AOC — to unseat Schumer following his stunt.

So while House and Senate Democrats were left seething, Schumer seems keen on avoiding a shutdown. We will have to wait and see whether anyone else bends the knee.

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'There's also another — a little secret too'

House Republicans fall in line, narrowly pass Trump-backed funding bill



The House narrowly passed a continuing resolution on Tuesday, just days before the Friday funding deadline. The CR is now headed to the Senate, and it's up to the Democrats to avert a government shutdown.

The CR was passed in almost a party-line vote, 217-213, with Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky the sole Republican holdout. Nearly every single Democrat, with the exception of Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted to tank the CR, which was spearheaded by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President Donald Trump.

With just days until the shutdown deadline, we will see if Democrats would rather vote for the Trump-backed CR or shut down the government altogether.

"Today, House Republicans stood for the American people and voted to maintain funding the paychecks for our troops, the agents who secure our borders, the TSA workers responsible for safe air travel, as well as the healthcare and benefits for veterans, and essential services and programs that keep the government operational," Johnson said in a statement Tuesday. "But House Democrats decided to double down on partisan politics."

The CR itself is a clean 99-page funding bill with certain provisions boosting ICE and defense funds. Despite those increases, the bill reduces spending by $13 billion compared to fiscal year 2024. Because of these cuts, several House Republicans who were on the fence were persuaded to pass the bill.

A lot of the legwork was done behind the scenes in the days leading up to the vote. White House officials like OMB Director Russ Vought met with fiscal conservatives and some members of the House Freedom Caucus to pitch the Trump-backed CR, as Blaze News first reported. Trump also met with the same group of Republicans, many of whom have a history of voting against CRs.

Despite their track record, many Republicans got on board with the most recent CR. The House Freedom Caucus, which is largely composed of spending skeptics, endorsed the CR the night before the vote. HFC Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) even made a rare appearance alongside the Republican leadership in a presser Tuesday morning.

So while House Republicans fall in line behind Trump and the GOP leadership, the pressure now weighs on Senate Democrats. Republicans adjourned immediately after the CR's passage, leaving the Senate to take up the bill without the opportunity to make any amendments.

The Senate will need at least 60 votes to pass the GOP-led CR. Meanwhile, Republicans hold just 53 seats. Assuming all Republicans back the CR — and there are currently some holdouts — at least seven Democrats will need to reach across the aisle to avoid shutting down the government. So far, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is the only Democrat to have signaled support for the CR.

With just days until the shutdown deadline, we will see if Democrats would rather vote for the Trump-backed CR or shut down the government altogether.

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Senate Democrats in the hot seat as government shutdown looms



Capitol Hill is going full speed ahead with Friday's funding deadline fast approaching.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is rallying Republicans behind his continuing resolution that was released over the weekend, and House Democrats are digging their heels in. But despite Republicans' historically narrow advantage in the House, it seems that this time around, fiscal conservatives may not be the reason the government is headed toward a shutdown.

If the CR passes the House like many are predicting, all the pressure will weigh on Senate Democrats.

Johnson pulled off a legislative miracle in late February when the House successfully passed his reconciliation budget blueprint. Although every House Democrat voted against the blueprint, House Republicans unified behind Johnson and President Donald Trump's resolution, with Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky being the sole GOP defector.

With respect to the CR, Johnson is looking to continue this winning streak.

Much like reconciliation, Johnson's CR secured Trump's blessing over the weekend. Additionally, fiscal conservatives and some members of the House Freedom Caucus met with Trump and other White House officials like Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought in an attempt to reel in any holdouts, as Blaze News first reported. In the aftermath of these closed-door meetings, it seems that the House's spending skeptics are falling in line, setting the stage for another near-unanimous GOP vote.

House Democrats have already made it clear that they have no intention of backing the CR, and Massie has already claimed the sole Republican "no" vote Johnson can afford. Even still, politicos are forecasting a legislative win for Republicans on Tuesday night.

If the CR passes the House like many are predicting, all the pressure will weigh on Senate Democrats.

Voting against the CR would make Democrats responsible for a government shutdown, a consequence most politicians try to avoid at all costs.

Although Republicans have a comfortable 53-seat majority in the Senate, the Trump-backed funding bill will need to clear the 60-vote threshold as opposed to a simple majority. Assuming there are no Republican holdouts, which isn't a guarantee, the CR will need the support of at least seven Senate Democrats to pass. So far, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is the only Democrat to have signaled support for the CR.

Consequently, Senate Democrats are faced with a tough choice. Democrats oppose the CR for various ideological reasons, protesting added provisions for ICE and the cuts to community projects. On the other hand, voting against the CR would make Democrats responsible for a government shutdown, a consequence most politicians try to avoid at all costs.

With just days until the funding deadline, it's up to Democrats to see if the government lights will stay on.

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