The criticism against the senator has increased with his shift to moderate policy decisions.
In recent weeks, Senator John Fetterman has faced a barrage of criticism surrounding his mental health and ability to serve as one of Pennsylvania’s senators.
Former staffers have expressed alarm at Fetterman’s behavior, current staff are departing his office, and the media is covering his mental health more than ever.
In recent years, the senator has made a shift towards moderation in terms of policy.
In October of 2023, Fetterman’s pro-Israel stance was revealed after the Hamas terrorist attacks. “We must support Israel in efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children,” he wrote on social media.
In December of 2023, Fetterman said, “I am not a progressive.” Later that month during a debate on border security, he said, “I hope Democrats can understand that it isn’t xenophobic to be concerned about the border.”
Fetterman also angered Democrats by accepting an invite to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago following his election to another term.
Adam Jentleson, former chief of staff to Fetterman, quit his job because he became “alarmed” by the senator’s behavior. He recently sent a 1,600-word email to Fetterman’s doctor, saying the senator was suffering from “conspiratorial thinking” and “megalomania” while experiencing “high highs and low lows.”
Back in May of 2023, Fetterman was released from six weeks of inpatient care for clinical depression. A year prior in 2022, he had suffered a stroke while running for Senate.
After the stroke during his campaign, Fetterman took three months off to recover. When he returned and participated in a debate, he forgot words, paused for long periods of time, and spoke awkwardly.
At that time, progressives supported the senator and called those criticizing Fetterman as “ableist”.
Now that Senator Fetterman’s policy decisions are driven more by moderation, those same progressives are not flocking to his side in a show of support. They are perpetuating the same critical behavior they sought to defend Fetterman from in the first place.
