That is close in meaning to saying they should be kicked out, but it is not linguistically identical.
A person may reasonably summarize his position as advocating their removal. A news graphic should nevertheless make clear when wording is a paraphrase rather than placing it in a form that readers are likely to understand as a direct quotation.
Why Zohran Mamdani Appears in the Image
The inset photograph shows Zohran Mamdani because he has become the most nationally recognizable representative of democratic socialism within Democratic electoral politics.
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, not a communist. Those terms are frequently treated as interchangeable in American partisan messaging, but they are not identical.
Democratic socialists generally advocate democratic elections, civil liberties and an expanded public role in essential services. Communism historically refers to systems seeking collective ownership of productive property and has often been associated with one-party states, although communist theory encompasses multiple traditions.
Mamdani has supported policies such as rent freezes, expanded public transit and greater government involvement in housing and social services. His opponents describe those proposals as radical socialism. His supporters consider them democratic responses to affordability problems.
Fetterman has repeatedly identified Mamdani as a symbol Republicans can use against Democrats nationally.
He has said Mamdani is a proud socialist and suggested that Republicans would make him a central figure in campaigns attempting to portray the entire Democratic Party as far-left.
Fetterman therefore treats Mamdani’s political success as both an ideological problem and an electoral liability.
A Real Break With Fetterman’s Earlier Image
The intensity of Fetterman’s attacks has surprised some voters because he was once closely associated with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
During his rise in Pennsylvania politics, Fetterman supported raising the minimum wage, protecting organized labor, legalizing marijuana, criminal-justice reform and expanding health-care access. His appearance and campaign style helped him cultivate the image of a working-class populist.
He was not initially presented as a conventional centrist.
Over time, however, Fetterman increasingly emphasized positions separating him from the Democratic left. The most visible rupture concerned Israel and the war in Gaza. Fetterman became one of Israel’s most outspoken Democratic defenders and condemned activists and candidates he considered hostile to Israel.
He has also criticized progressive approaches to immigration, public safety and political communication.
Fetterman insists that he has not become a Republican. He describes himself as a pro-capitalist Democrat willing to cooperate with Republicans and challenge extremists in either party.
His critics contend that his media appearances increasingly serve conservative political narratives. His supporters say he is demonstrating independence and defending a Democratic tradition that rejects ideological extremes.
Is Fetterman Still a Democrat?
Yes.
Despite repeated speculation, Fetterman has said he is not changing parties. His criticism is framed as an argument over what the Democratic Party should become, not an announcement that he has left it.
He continues to support several policies generally associated with Democrats. His record cannot accurately be reduced to that of a Republican wearing a different party label.
At the same time, his appearances on conservative programs and his attacks on progressive Democrats have made him an unusually valuable figure in Republican media.