PITTSBURGH — For nearly two years, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) kept a video pinned to his X account showing his Senate office in Washington, D.C., in which every wall in the front room was covered in posters of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas.
The 10-second, soundless video featured a caption that read, “They will stay up until every single person is returned safely home.”
Over the past two years, more than 13 million people viewed the video. On Monday, Oct. 13, Fetterman unpinned it just as the first hostages were being released. This was timed with President Donald Trump’s visit to the Israeli parliament to mark the return of the remaining living hostages from Gaza under the historic U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement. Later that day, Trump traveled to Egypt for a peace summit with 30 world leaders, during which they signed a document formalizing the ceasefire.
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Fetterman posted on Monday, “The nightmare finally ends. May the hostages have a full recovery and may we never forget those who didn’t make it out alive. Credit to President Trump for a breakthrough ceasefire in this awful war.”
Fetterman, who met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in January, just days before Trump was sworn in for his second term, was not the only western Pennsylvania Democrat to praise the president. Many lauded Trump not only for achieving the seemingly impossible, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but also for securing the release of the 20 remaining Israeli hostages who had been held captive for more than two years.
Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), who represents a swing district in western Pennsylvania that stretches along the Allegheny River and includes all of Beaver County, said that after two years of war, he is looking forward to the peace deal struck by Trump.
“I commend the American leadership,” Deluzio said, “including President Trump, and diplomacy that led to this moment, and I hope all parties work in good faith to realize the full American-backed peace plan and put an end to this heartbreaking war.”
When pressed further, Deluzio said, “I don’t think it’s that complicated to hope and work for peace. Just like my western Pennsylvania constituents, I want American leadership at the heart of trying to bring an end to this bloody war.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who is from Montgomery County and faces reelection next November, has rarely found common ground with Trump. However, during our interview about Trump’s success in brokering a deal between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, Shapiro called it a “BFD” and commended him for getting it across the finish line.
Regarding the ceasefire and the release of the hostages, Shapiro, an observant Jew, did not hesitate to give credit where it was due. In a statement, he said the end of this terrible war offers “hope and opportunity for Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire region,” adding, “I appreciate the president and his team for their work to reach this moment and hope they remain just as focused on the important work ahead.”
Unlike liberal lawmakers in other states, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who said he “did not want to give credit right now,” or Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who issued a nearly 200-word statement without once mentioning Trump by name, Pennsylvania Democrats, including those facing reelection next year, showed no hesitation in doing so.
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CNN contributor and western Pennsylvania native David Urban said this response reflects the character that has long defined Pennsylvania.
“I think it’s admirable that Democrats like Fetterman can recognize and acknowledge a historic miracle — even when it’s achieved by Donald Trump,” Urban said, adding, “That’s the Pennsylvania way.”