(José Niño, Headline USA) Sen. John Fetterman, R-PA, is facing a growing number of calls to resign.
A bombshell profile in New York Magazine showcased Fetterman’s declining mental health.
“He needs to resign,” declared Jonathan Last of The Bulwark, a former Fetterman supporter, on The Secret Podcast. His co-host, Sarah Longwell, didn’t mince words either, calling the revelations “career-ending.” The shockwaves from the New York Magazine piece penned by Ben Terris, have rippled through social media and political circles, leaving many Democrats reeling.
“I think John is on a bad trajectory and I’m really worried about him,” wrote Adam Jentleson, Fetterman’s former chief of staff, in a letter to the Pennsylvania senator’s doctor.
Fetterman’s journey into the United States Senate has been marked by ups and downs. After suffering a stroke during his 2022 campaign, he overcame significant health challenges to deliver a crucial win for Democrats after defeating his Republican rival Mehmet Oz by 51.2% to 46.3% margin.
His subsequent hospitalization for depression in 2023 was widely perceived as a courageous step toward destigmatizing mental health struggles in public life.
“Let me say this to anyone that’s thinking about this: There is a way out,” Fetterman said to Men’s Health after his discharge. “Don’t ever, ever, ever, ever consider hurting yourself. Get your help.”
But the New York Magazine piece suggests that Fetterman’s private affairs are far more complicated. Staffers and former aides describe a man who is increasingly isolated, prone to mood swings, and sometimes disengaged from the recovery plan that once seemed to set him on a positive path.
Jentleson’s letter to Fetterman’s medical team detailed a series of “warning signs”: missed medical appointments, skipped medication, reckless driving, and even the purchase of a firearm. “He engages in risky behavior,” Jentleson wrote, warning colleagues not to ride in a car with Fetterman behind the wheel.
The most dramatic incident came in May or June 2024, when Fetterman reportedly ignored staff warnings, drove his car, and crashed-injuring his wife, Gisele Fetterman. The accident was kept quiet until the New York Magazine piece broke the story, compounding concerns about transparency and judgment.
Former staffers also described tense, sometimes heated exchanges with his wife, particularly over Fetterman’s vocal support for Israel during the Gaza conflict. “Let’s get back to killing,” Fetterman was quoted as saying about the war — a statement he later insisted referred only to Hamas, not civilians.
Fetterman has stood out as one of the most vocal pro-Israel Democrats in Congress. He has recently called for the United States to help Israel carry out attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Fetterman’s votes in favor of several Trump nominees, including Pam Bondi for Attorney General, have alienated many in his own party, according to The Independent. His robust support for Israel has drawn condemnation from progressives, while some allies worry that his cognitive and emotional struggles may be undermining his ability to serve.
Fetterman and his family have pushed back against people doubting his ability to serve. In particular, Gisele Fetterman accused Jentleson of spreading “scary, untrue stories about John’s health” as part of a conspiracy to damage her husband’s reputation. The Pennsylvania senator described the New York Magazine story as a “hit piece” and insisted that “my ACTUAL doctors and my family affirmed that I’m very well.”
Will Fetterman weather this storm and reclaim his status as a symbol of resilience? Or is this the beginning of the end for one of the US Senate’s most unconventional figures? The answers remain uncertain, but the questions are more urgent than ever.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
