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Published On: Wed, Sep 17th, 2025

Fetterman: You Don’t Compare Anyone To Hitler, When You Do You Will Incite Somebody To “Take Them Out”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) joined fellow Pennsylvanian Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) on FOX News Channel’s “Special Report” with host Bret Baier and discussed the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Fetterman warned that rhetoric comparing political opponents to Hitler can incite violence by convincing people they must act to stop them.

BRET BAIER: Well tonight, in our Common Ground segment, a conversation on bringing the nation together, or trying to, to restore civility in politics. Joining me, Pennsylvania Senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman. Pennsylvania, by the way, is one of only three states with a Democrat and Republican split in the U.S. Senate. Senators, thanks for being here. You all called me. Usually we reach out. You wanted to do this together. Why? SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Well, I mean, we thought it was just a great idea. I think it’s an important idea right now. I mean, the trauma after the Charlie Kirk assassination, and now, as things continue now, it’s like, I feel like it’s important that people can witness, you know, a Democrat and a Republican having a conversation after this. It’s absolutely horrific, and it’s entirely necessary to allow people to grieve for that. I mean, everyone’s seen the video. SEN. DAVE MCCORMICK (R-PA): Yeah, it’s just the, the heartbreak, you feel for Charlie Kirk’s family, Eric and their children, and all the students across the country, the people across the country that were huge followers. And I think the Senator and I agreed that, and we, we do agree that there, there’s just no place in this country, for political violence. It, it’s absolutely something, it runs counter to the very idea of free, free speech and freedom, and that when you see, dangerous rhetoric, like fascist and Nazism and authoritarianism, that’s a, and, and the end of democracy, that’s a, that’s a permission. That takes us down a path where the inevitable next step is, is violence, and, and that’s what we see. BRET BAIER: And Senator Fetterman, you’ve talked about that recently, calling somebody Hitler, calling somebody Nazis. SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Exactly, this idea, it’s like, do not ever, ever, ever compare anyone to Hitler. If not, go online and you can read up on exactly what he’s responsible for, you know, 75 to 80 million lives lost in World War II, and you don’t compare him to anyone. And if you do, then you will incite somebody to say, well, now I feel like I have to stop, to stop that and take them out. People have seemed to forgotten that the President took a shot to the head. And can you imagine if that shot would have gone the way Charlie Kirk’s one, and what, what kind of condition our nation would be in? This is such a dangerous time right now, and now why? You don’t need this an opportunity to share your opinions on it. Just, again, it’s appalling and allow folks enough space to grieve. The man hasn’t even been buried yet. And it’s like, that’s why we wanted to have a conversation that we have to find a way to work together. BRET BAIER: Do you think that when you look out at, at some on the left, and especially the far left, in reaction to this moment you’ve spoken out about that? SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Well, I mean, I’m consistent about that. You know, any kinds of extreme rhetoric, left or right, is, is really dangerous. And now it’s just Luigi had his, his latest thing, and now there’s people on, on the very left on my side cheering him, and raised over a million dollars for his legal fund. It’s like, this isn’t, this coward executed a father and a businessman just because you happen to disagree with his business. Now that’s, you know, keep having these kinds of arguments. Well, guess what? The next one’s going to be on you, and you’ll end up on the sidewalk. Then we have to just, it’s just unacceptable. And we have to just absolutely turn the heat down.

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