Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) praised billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday, saying that despite their political differences, he does not consider Musk an enemy and admires his achievements.
“I admire Mr. Musk,” Fetterman told reporters on Capitol Hill. “He’s been involved in important areas of American society, like AI, SpaceX, and other groundbreaking ventures.”
Fetterman acknowledged that he and Musk don’t always agree politically, but emphasized that this doesn’t make them adversaries. “Yes, he’s on a different team, but that doesn’t make him my enemy,” the senator explained. “I’m not just going to criticize him because we don’t see eye to eye on everything.”
He went on to say, “Musk has made a real impact on our economy and our nation. Our politics may be different, but that doesn’t mean I view him as an enemy.”
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Musk responded to Fetterman’s remarks on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Hard not to like @SenFettermanPA. He puts country over party.”
Fetterman’s comments came after Musk was appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead a new government department called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Earlier this year, Fetterman also recognized Musk’s broad appeal, particularly among voters who often feel disconnected from Democrats. “Musk is incredibly popular, and he connects with people Democrats have a hard time reaching,” Fetterman said during an appearance on NewsNation’s The Hill Sunday. “For some, he’s like Tony Stark—he’s the world’s richest man and undeniably brilliant.”
Known for speaking his mind, Fetterman has also been willing to criticize his own party on certain issues. Recently, he showed openness to confirming some of Trump’s Cabinet nominees if he returns to the White House, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, his former Senate rival. Fetterman has also supported President Biden’s decision to offer clemency to Trump over his New York hush-money conviction, after Biden announced he would pardon his son, Hunter Biden.
Watch Fetterman’s remarks below:
Dem Senator John Fetterman: “I admire Elon Musk. He has been involved in very important parts of American society."
Thoughts?pic.twitter.com/BQVr0aBfce
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) December 6, 2024
