By Manu Raju, Alison Main

(CNN) — Sen. John Fetterman bluntly warned on Thursday that he would leave the Democratic Party if it adopts an anti-Israel policy — one of his most direct threats yet amid the first-term Pennsylvanian’s intensifying battle with progressives over the direction of their party.

Fetterman attacked the progressive left, in an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, over pushing the party to embrace policies against the Israeli government amid the crisis in Gaza and its role in the Iran war.

“That’s my red line,” Fetterman said Thursday. “If the Democratic Party becomes official anti-Israel, then that’s when I would force me out.”

More than 100 House Democrats voted to block billions in military aid to Israel on Wednesday, the most ever, underscoring the sharp shift particularly with younger voters and the liberal base. Fetterman said that House vote wouldn’t force him to leave the party, calling it merely “symbolic.” But he made clear what would cause him to bolt.

“If they make it the official platform of the party, then that’s a much different situation,” Fetterman said.

Fetterman added: “I think it’s fantastic to keep killing Hamas leadership. I think it’s fantastic, same for Hezbollah. … Democrats were proud to stand with Israel. And look at where we are now.”

Fetterman, who campaigned for office as a populist progressive and railed against the likes of former moderate Sen. Joe Manchin, has been in an increasingly pitched battle with the left. He has taken a hardline stance on immigration enforcement, broken with his party over its strategy during government shutdown fights and has been an unapologetic supporter of the Israeli government. And he has railed against liberal Senate candidates, like in Michigan and in Maine, including progressive Graham Platner, whom Fetterman called “a piece of shit.”

“Ask Bernie, why did he push that trash?” Fetterman said, referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent and progressive leader.

“Look at the kinds of people that we’ve elected in the primaries, not just pro-Palestinian, just intensely, intensely anti-Israel,” he said, slamming candidates like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan for campaigning with controversial podcaster Hasan Piker.

But Fetterman, who is up for reelection in 2028, is increasingly in danger in his own party. A new Quinnipiac poll this week found that a majority of registered Pennsylvania Democratic voters want him to leave the party.

Fetterman was perplexed when asked by CNN about the poll’s findings.

“It’s strange that a guy that votes a 90% Democratic line and 80% approval of Republicans. How is that? Do you explain that? I don’t understand that too,” Fetterman said. “But if I become more unpopular with Democrats, then I think it’s really a strong correlation with being very proud Israel supporter.”

Fetterman wouldn’t say if he would run for reelection in 2028 — or in the primary as a Democrat.

“There’s a lot of time,” Fetterman said.

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