Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman used his appearance on “Real Time With Bill Maher” Friday night to strongly defend Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iran and criticize members of his own party who have turned against the Jewish state.

“We really have to fully support them taking out Iran at this point. We can’t ever allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon,” Fetterman told host Bill Maher. “After Israel was able to destroy the proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas as well too. They have a really, once-in-a-generation opportunity to take the nuclear facilities out.”

The Democratic senator didn’t hold back when discussing his party’s stance on the conflict. “Our party, the Democratic Party, has lost that argument, and they’ve taken side with the regime that doesn’t have the kind of values and live the kind of ways that we want here in our country,” Fetterman said.

Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran late Thursday, targeting the regime’s top scientists, military leadership, nuclear facilities and rocket capabilities. Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles into Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.

Fetterman also rejected progressive criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and beyond.

“I don’t believe Israel has occurred [sic] any kind of war crimes. And then I also think we’ve seen a lot of language has been cheapened as well, too. There was never a genocide. People are putting Israel to a double standard now,”he said. “There’s no war crimes. This just was an existential war. You can never rebuild Gaza — would you have to rebuild Gaza — if Hamas is allowed to be in force?”

Fetterman’s strong pro-Israel stance has created tension within Democratic ranks since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. He acknowledged the political cost, joking that “Parts of my party just want to turn me into a Colonel Kurtz. That’s what happened after Israel and the border, and some of the times I might have to disagree with my party.”

Despite Iran’s retaliation capability being demonstrated through its missile barrage,leaving 10 dead and hundreds wounded, the IDF believes the regime still possesses critical nuclear infrastructure, including it’s underground Fordo site, local Israeli media reports.

Maher, who has floated Fetterman for president in 2028, praised the senator’s willingness to break with progressive orthodoxy. The comedian noted that Fetterman has faced criticism from former staffers and fellow progressives since taking positions supporting Israel and enhanced border security.

Fetterman, who defeated Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022 as the only Democrat to flip a Senate seat that cycle, emphasized he remains a Democrat despite policy disagreements. He specifically criticized Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” saying: “I’m never going to be a part of the 40 trillion club, and now that’s going to push our debt up to $40 trillion, I mean, it’s incredibly dangerous.”

“A lot of the things that have been happening since Trump took the office, a lot of it’s professional wrestling,” Fetterman said. “But for this, if they pass … the big, beautiful bill, that will change our nation, and that’s going to impact, truly impact millions and millions of people.”