<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><span class="section-lead">Sen. John Fetterman</span> responded to a recent <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/john-fetterman-little-interest-senator-be74e7a3">Wall Street Journal report</a> that quoted former staffers and alleged text messages to suggest he has lost interest in performing his duties. The report indicated that the Pennsylvania Democrat declined to meet with constituents, did not attend a funeral for three slain police officers in York County, and questioned the necessity of meetings with representatives from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a response to CNN, Fetterman characterized the reports as the work of "disgruntled staffers," stating, "Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous." An <a href="https://x.com/FettermanStaff">anonymous Twitter account</a> claiming to represent former staffers was created, asserting that the <em>WSJ</em> story was "just the tip of the iceberg."</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fetterman, a first-term senator, has been described by a former staffer as "Trump’s favorite Democrat" due to his alignment with Republican positions on various issues, including voting against limiting Trump’s military actions and advocating for immigration reforms without shutting down ICE. He has also shown strong support for the Israeli government amid a shift in Democratic perspectives on Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Discussion about Fetterman has included concerns regarding the impact of a stroke he suffered in 2022 on his decision-making. A <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/john-fetterman-struggle-mental-health-clinical-depression.html">May 2025 article</a> in <em>New York</em> magazine reported on personality changes noted by staffers, with his former chief of staff stating in a memo that Fetterman was "on a bad trajectory" and exhibited behaviors such as "conspiratorial thinking" and "long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues."</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fetterman has denied claims from former staffers regarding his fitness for office. He described the <em>WSJ</em> report as the "third hit piece from disgruntled staffers" and claimed that the cited text messages were "stripped of any context and circumstances." He acknowledged not attending the police officers' funeral but noted that he expressed condolences on Twitter, sent flowers, and privately attended a fundraiser for the families. Regarding the meetings with hospital representatives, he stated he had met with them both virtually and in person, and he later apologized for a comment he made about Medicaid cuts, calling it "a dumb joke."</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new anonymous Twitter account, named <a href="https://x.com/FettermanStaff">Former Fetterman Staffers</a>, has been described by <em>The New York Times</em> as "authentic" and "a group effort." The account's bio states that its members are "disgusted with what he’s become" and aim to share their stories to inform Pennsylvanians about Fetterman. The account plans to release its first information on September 14th, coinciding with the Senate's next session.</p>