Fox News fixture Sean Hannity issued a groveling apology to Democrat Senator John Fetterman as he heaped praise on the politician he once labeled a 'spoiled trust fund brat in a hoodie.'
Fetterman, who has positioned himself as a right-leaning member of the Democratic Party, appeared on the conservative host's podcast, Hang Out with Sean Hannity, on Tuesday.
During the pair's surprisingly chummy hour-and-a-half conversation, the former foes reflected on their first meeting at Donald Trump's private residence at Mar-a-Lago last year.
Hannity recalled being at Trump's Palm Beach estate on the same day as Fetterman, adding that he also got to see Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots.
The Fox News host said he introduced himself to Fetterman and joked that the senator should hate him because he advocated so hard against his campaign.
'Because by that time, I'd begun to realize I had you all wrong,' Hannity said, adding that Fetterman must have thought he was an 'a**hole.'
'Everything I believed and thought about you, and I really believed it, was wrong,' he added.
Fetterman laughed at the admission, saying Hannity's apology demonstrated how important it was to have conversations across the aisle.
Senator John Fetterman appeared on a podcast episode with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday, pictured above
Hannity told Fetterman that he was wrong about him and apologized for his previous remarks about the Democratic senator
Hannity also revealed during the episode that the two first met last year at Mar-a-Lago
The two reflected on Fetterman's Senate campaign against Hannity's friend and former television peer, Dr Mehmet Oz.
Fetterman won the Senate seat in 2022, flipping it from Republican to Democrat in a tight race that captivated the nation.
Oz, who now serves as the Chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Trump administration, took aim at Fetterman's health during the campaign.
Fox News pundits helped fuel speculation that Fetterman was unfit for the position after the senator suffered a stroke before the election.
During one of Hannity's broadcasts in August 2022, he called Fetterman a 'very spoiled trust fund brat in a hoodie' after the senator stepped out on the campaign trail following his stroke.
'Every day he calls me a liar but we will tell you the truth about who he really is. He's a trust fund brat phony that tries to act tough with tattoos and that hoodie,' Hannity told his viewers.
Hannity then speculated that Fetterman was 'not doing well' and that his stroke was 'debilitating.'
During their recent discussion, Hannity revealed that Fetterman 'graciously' accepted his apology for his comments during the senator's 2022 campaign.
Fetterman reflected on his campaign against Dr Mehment Oz, pictured above, in 2022 during his recent podcast appearance. Oz is pictured above at a rally with Trump on September 3, 2022
Fetterman has recently broken with party lines to support Trump policies. He's pictured above with the president at the State of the Union address in February
Fetterman admitted that Oz was a 'nice guy' and compared their campaigns to 'professional wrestling.' Pictured above is an attack ad against Oz from 2022
'It wasn't even necessary. That was gracious to do that, but it wasn't necessary,' Fetterman responded.
Hannity said he went so hard during the campaign because Oz was his friend and he believed in his campaign.
The two also reflected on claims that Fetterman was not fit to run for office after his stroke.
Fetterman admitted that his debate performance against Oz at the time was 'probably the worst debate in American politics.'
The senator confessed he knew he would lose because Oz was a former television star and could navigate on-air moments.
Fetterman debated Oz in October, just about five months after he suffered a stroke. Oz was widely considered to have won the debate as Fetterman struggled to complete sentences and often offered contradictory statements.
Fetterman also reflected on his disastrous debate with Oz, calling it 'probably the worst debate in American politics.' Pictured above is a grab from the 2022 debate
Hannity called Fetterman the 'only normal Democrat in Washington' during their discussion. Fetterman is pictured above with Governor Josh Shapiro, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden during a campaign event in 2022
Despite the attacks on his health, Fetterman revealed that he believed Oz to be a 'nice guy.'
He compared campaigning to 'professional wrestling,' noting that their viscious attack ads against one another were not personal.
Fetterman's appearance on Hannity's podcast comes after a string of the senator's interviews on Fox News.
The senator has frequently crossed party lines since he was elected. He has been a vocal supporter of Trump's military action in Iran and cast the deciding vote on Thursday to advance Markwayne Mullin's nomination as the new Department of Homeland Security Secretary.
Hannity even referred to Fetterman as the 'only normal Democrat in Washington.'
