Mark Ruffalo has broken publicly with Sen. John Fetterman, urging the Pennsylvania Democrat to leave office over his stance on Israel. The actor’s comments, posted to X on Wednesday, followed a viral exchange between Fetterman and Jon Stewart on “The Weekly Show” that reignited scrutiny of the senator’s position within his own party.
“When you put another country above the USA, when you are in the U.S. government, no matter what you say, you aren’t working for the American people,” Ruffalo wrote. He told Fetterman to “register as a lobbyist for a foreign government” instead of continuing to draw what he called a taxpayer-funded salary, adding that the senator should stop representing the American public altogether.
Ruffalo’s post came a day after Fetterman told Stewart he could agree with a Democratic candidate on nearly every issue but would still consider Israel a dealbreaker. Stewart pushed back, calling that a “weird line” to draw and questioning why a foreign policy position on one country should outweigh a candidate’s domestic agenda. Fetterman held firm, saying he cannot turn his back on Israel given the current moment.
The exchange reflects a wider split inside the Democratic Party over Israel policy. Fetterman has said in recent weeks that he would consider leaving the party if it formally adopted an anti-Israel platform, a threat he repeated after more than 100 House Democrats voted in July for an amendment ending U.S. aid to Israel. He has also criticized the advocacy group J Street by name, arguing its approach undermines support for what he calls the Jewish state.
Ruffalo’s response carries particular weight given his earlier support for Fetterman’s 2022 Senate campaign, when progressive voices largely rallied behind him. The actor has not been shy about political commentary in the past, and reaction to his latest remarks split sharply online, with some users echoing his criticism of Fetterman’s position and others accusing Ruffalo of overstepping into a senator’s foreign policy judgment. Fetterman’s office had not issued a public response as of Wednesday evening.
The dispute lands as Fetterman continues to face pressure from his party’s left flank over Israel, even as he maintains he has no current plans to leave the Democratic caucus.
