Some Democratic senators fear that their Pennsylvania colleague, Sen. John Fetterman, may not be able to handle the stress of the Senate following reports of erratic behavior.
Democrats in the Senate are now having private discussions about how to help Fetterman, according to The Hill. Two Democratic senators told the outlet they’re having conversations about Fetterman as they worry he may struggle to deal with the emotional stressors of serving in Congress.
“Every time I see him, I’m worried about him,” one anonymous Democrat told The Hill, pointing to a recent New York Magazine article in which it was revealed that Fetterman’s former chief of staff grew so alarmed last year that he contacted Fetterman’s doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, saying that he was “on a bad trajectory,” adding that he may not “be with us for much longer” unless something was done to change the situation.
“I know we’re all in touch with each other, having conversations about how to intervene. I haven’t heard anybody say they’re not worried about it,” the senator told The Hill. “People are trying to figure out what to do. People are worried about his safety.”
Another Democratic senator described the discussions regarding Fetterman.
“They’ve been more like, ‘We’re friends, what can we do as friends to provide some support,’” the senator told the outlet, sharing their concern that the Pennsylvanian has grown isolated in the nation’s capital.
“I worry about that, and that means as friends we need to step up,” said the senator.
“Certainly, I’m concerned about his well-being like all other senators,” a third Democratic senator told the outlet, saying that they had seen Fetterman become emotional while at work.
An aide said Vermont Democratic Senator Peter Welch has reached out to Fetterman and worked to create a bridge between Fetterman and other senators.
Fetterman’s former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, wrote a 1,600-word email to Fetterman’s doctor in May of 2024 to say that the senator had shown “warning signs” which they had previously discussed following his admittance for clinical depression in 2023.
Jentleson mentioned Fetterman’s use of social media, which was said to worsen his depression, as well as his reckless driving, and that he had bought a firearm. He added that Fetterman had shown signs of conspiratorial thinking, megalomania, and he questioned whether Fetterman had been taking his medications.
Last week, Fetterman was asked to respond to the story in New York Magazine, saying it was a “one-source hit piece and some anonymous sources, so there’s nothing new.”
He said he would serve out his term in the Senate, which ends in 2028.
The Associated Press also reported that Fetterman reduced a staffer to tears amid outbursts of “why does everyone hate me?” during a meeting with a teacher’s union.
The senator began repeating himself as he shouted, questioning why “everybody is mad at me” and “why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do,” as he slammed his hands on his desk, one person briefed on the event said.
A staffer eventually ended the meeting and moved the visitors into the hallway, where she began crying. She was comforted by the teachers, who were also unnerved by Fetterman’s actions, a second individual told about the meeting said.
The meeting took place at Fetterman’s office in Washington and was described by two anonymous sources to The Associated Press. The events took place the day before the release of the New York Magazine article in which former staff and advisers shared apprehensions about Fetterman’s mental health.
Fetterman said in a statement to The Independent last week that he “had a spirited conversation” with the teachers’ union “about our collective frustration with the Trump administration’s cuts to our education system.”
He added that he "will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyone’s attempt to turn Pennsylvania’s public schools into a voucher program.”
The Senate Democratic Whip, Sen Dick Durbin of Illinois, has said that Fetterman has withdrawn from interactions with colleagues.
“It’s a limited relationship. John doesn’t spend much time on the floor, for obvious reasons. He’s chosen to dress in a manner that’s inconsistent with the Senate rules and [made] limited appearances within the caucus. So I’ve not developed a relationship with him, which I usually do,” said Durbin, according to The Hill.
The Independent has contacted Fetterman’s office for comment.
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