Former Sen. Joe Manchin Says Democrats Need To Work With Trump
Former Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has a blunt message for the party he long represented: when it comes to President Donald Trump’s election, it's time to "get over it."
Speaking with Katty Kay from the BBC, the now Independent former senator emphasized that his old party must collaborate with the president, regardless of political differences, because Trump is "the leader of our country."
"[Trump] is the leader of our country. Why would you not work with him? Just because he’s a different party? Didn’t vote for him? That’s not a reason," Manchin said. His comment carries weight, considering he consistently won elections as a Democrat in deep-red West Virginia.
"I want Donald Trump to succeed," he added. Now identifying as an Independent following his retirement, Manchin stressed, "I want to help wherever I can help. I want to give them my experience of the mistakes I have made that we shouldn’t make again."
Known for criticizing his own party even while in office, Manchin hasn’t changed his tune in retirement.
He weighed in on the deportation of MS-13 gang member Kilmar Ábrego García, 29, a topic stirring controversy. García, who had a restraining order placed against him in 2021 for domestic violence, was removed to El Salvador.
Commenting on Democrats’ outrage over the deportation, the 77-year-old said that if he were advising Republicans, he’d urge them to remain silent and let Democrats self-destruct: "The Democrats are saying, ‘what a horrible situation.’… They’re making more of a case out of this one person who’s an illegal immigrant being sent out of the country that could have been tied to a gang… if I’m a Republican strategist, I am going to keep quiet and just let you all go on," Manchin explained.
Regarding Trump's firm stance on immigration, tariffs, and other issues, Manchin made it clear that most criticism comes from sore losers.
"He’s doing exactly what he said. People shouldn’t be all upset," he remarked. "The people who are upset right now lost. This is the system."
Manchin also advised Democrats to shift their focus toward a pressing national concern as they gear up for the 2026 and 2028 elections.
"We’re 36 trillion dollars in debt. There’s no way that we can handle this," he warned. "If the Democrats wanted to reposition themselves, why don’t they do it on fiscal policy? Do you ever hear anybody talking about balancing our budget, fiscal policy, living within our means?"
Perhaps his most provocative proposal came when he suggested a major constitutional overhaul regarding the presidency.
"I believe the president should be one six-year term, Katty. A president should never have to worry about getting re-elected. All they should do is their job," Manchin asserted.
He went on to propose additional term limits: capping congressional service at 12 years and setting an 18-year maximum for Supreme Court justices—changes that would likewise require constitutional amendments.
Before exiting the Senate, Manchin didn’t hold back his sharp criticism of President Joe Biden either.
He particularly condemned Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences of Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who were convicted for the murder of Marshall University student Samantha Burns two decades ago, as reported by the Washington Times.
"After speaking to Samantha Burns’ parents, I believe it is my duty to speak on their behalf and say President Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences for the two men convicted in her brutal murder is horribly misguided and insulting," Manchin wrote on social media.
He added, "Particularly since Samantha’s family wrote letters to President Biden & the Department of Justice, pleading for them not to do this, but their concerns were unheard." He expressed deep empathy for the Burns family, saying, "I can’t imagine the grief that Kandi and John Burns are reliving and dealing with during the holiday season."