Senator David McCormick Defends Trump, Supports Bipartisan Efforts to Reopen Government

Sen. David McCormick walks toward the Senate Chamber during a vote-a-rama at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 30. Photo by Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

In an informal interview, Republican Senator David McCormick defended Trump’s latest controversial moves, including the president’s request to allocate $230 million to the Department of Justice to cover his legal costs, the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, and the party’s stance on preventing a government shutdown.

He also compared Democrats to “terrorists” in the tense stalemate over restoring the government – though he later clarified his remarks.

In Pennsylvania, where McCormick won last fall by a margin of about 15,000 votes, he expresses a different stance on his former political rival – Senator John Fetterman.

“My position from day one is to open the government. Just as Fetterman, my Democratic colleague from Pennsylvania, is pursuing such a course”

Fetterman now has voted 12 times with Republicans for a short-term bill that would extend funding for the government through November 21.

“You cannot negotiate with a terrorist”

“He had the courage to stand up for his views. We find common ground, and when we do, we work together,” McCormick said about Fetterman, whom he called an “exceptional partner.”

He has repeatedly dodged questions about whether Fetterman should run again, as he has not yet officially announced.

“I trust him. It’s not always said about people in Washington these days. I trust John Fetterman to do what he believes is right for Pennsylvania,” McCormick said.

McCormick stressed that Fetterman, who says he will remain a Democrat despite differences with his caucus, “is not a conservative” and that he did not urge him to switch parties.

“Where we can find common ground, we will work together for Pennsylvania. And unfortunately, this happens less often than it should,” he noted.

It was noted that McCormick is not seeking deep compromises now with the majority of Democrats in Fetterman’s caucus, who are demanding assurances that Republicans are willing to cooperate to extend ACA subsidies in exchange for their votes to restore the government.

“You can negotiate any talks about extending health benefits, but you can’t start with stopping the government to get them,” he added, backing the positions of Senate leaders and Trump administration officials who say they will not speak to Democrats until the crisis is resolved.

After the interview, McCormick told Reuters that he meant to describe Democrats as “hostages” rather than “terrorists.”

Despite a lack of signs of progress among Republicans in this crisis, Democrats hope to use pressure in negotiations, as voters could again insure themselves next year with significantly higher premiums.

McCormick called the health-care law signed by President Obama “unsatisfactory” and argued that the goal of expanded tax credits is to help “overcome” the shortcomings of the ACA.

And yet he worries about the consequences for many workers in Pennsylvania, who could face a substantial rise in premiums – up to 82%, according to the state’s estimates.

“Many people in Pennsylvania live paycheck to paycheck, and a significant premium increase would be a big deal,” he stressed.

When asked whether he supported extending the ACA for another year, McCormick replied: “I certainly support continuing the discussion, including the impact on working families.”

The conflict in Congress is unfolding ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, as Democrats seek to mobilize voters around the issue of health-care access.

McCormick, who defeated the incumbent Democrat in one of last year’s most straightforward Senate contests, does not believe that the Republicans’ position in the current stalemate could hurt them in 2026.

“Of course,” he added, “their health issue is concerning, but the main headline for voters will be the standout fulfillment of Trump’s 2024 campaign promises.”

He also noted that he is not concerned about some of the more controversial headlines related to the president’s actions.

McCormick defends Trump where other members of his party express doubts, and praises him for sticking to pre-election commitments that gave his Pennsylvania ally a larger lead than the one that secured McCormick’s own victory.

He also noted that Trump was acting as a private individual when he submitted a request for $230 million to the Department of Justice as compensation for the investigation, although those demands remain on the table and could lead to payments of millions of dollars to taxpayers.

When asked whether the president could simply reject this request, McCormick replied: “The president said that regardless of what happens, he will not personally benefit from this, so I would say to let the judicial system handle it.”

While most of his party colleagues refrain from official judgments, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is not seeking re-election, called the news of a possible payment to Trump at taxpayers’ expense “horrifying” amid the months-long government shutdown.

And McCormick is not worried about the image of demolishing the East Wing of the White House – he emphasizes that the project is ongoing and is not funded from taxpayers’ dollars; funding comes from donors and large corporations, comparing the president’s peacekeeping efforts in Gaza and Ukraine to a “minor matter” in comparison with other expenditures.

As Trump expands the use of executive power, McCormick does not believe the president is acting outside his office.

A former Army officer expressed a desire to be better informed about a series of recent U.S. airstrikes against suspected drug caravans in the Caribbean, but believes Trump is consistent in what he promised voters to fight the cartels.

“If he were a president I didn’t trust, I would want to know a lot more. But what he is doing aligns with the promises he gave,” McCormick concluded.

The piece also includes the involvement of CNN reporter Jenni Monnin.