Sen. John Fetterman’s unraveling has Democrats scrambling for answers. Reports of erratic behavior, from reckless driving to conspiratorial rants, have senators whispering about intervention. The woke left’s poster child seems to be crumbling under Congress’s weight.
The Hill reported that Democratic senators are quietly plotting to support their struggling colleague, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), whose mental health and bizarre conduct have raised alarms.
A New York Magazine exposé sparked these talks, detailing Fetterman’s isolation and inability to handle the Senate’s demands. Naturally, the left’s empathy parade kicks into gear when one of their own falters.
In 2023, Fetterman’s former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, sounded the alarm. He sent a 1,600-word email to Fetterman’s doctor at Walter Reed, warning the senator was “on a bad trajectory.” Jentleson cited Fetterman’s heavy social media use, firearm purchase, and megalomania—hardly the resume of a stable leader.
Jentleson’s email didn’t mince words. It flagged Fetterman’s roller-coaster emotions and questioned if he was even taking his depression meds, prescribed after his 2023 Walter Reed stay. When your team doubts your grip on reality, it’s not a good look.
Fetterman’s driving was so reckless that staff refused to ride with him. “You’d always get white-knuckled,” a Democratic aide quipped, painting a picture of a senator careening through D.C. like a liability on wheels. Actions have consequences, and Fetterman’s seem to be piling up.
The senator’s response? He brushed off the New York Magazine report as a “one-source hit piece.” He vowed to serve out his term until 2028, but his 19% missed vote rate—174 of 920 in 2025, per GovTrack.us—suggests he’s barely showing up.
Fetterman’s absence extends beyond votes. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin noted his limited floor presence and absence from caucus lunches, saying, “It’s a limited relationship.” Durbin’s diplomatic tone can’t mask the reality: Fetterman’s a ghost in his workplace.
His casual hoodie-and-shorts attire led to the Senate’s unanimous 2023 SHORTS Act, enforcing a formal dress code.
Now barred from the floor without a jacket and tie, Fetterman sulks with staff in the Ohio Clock corridor during votes. The left’s rebel aesthetic doesn’t fly when you’re dodging duty.
Fetterman’s interactions with colleagues are strained at best. He’s had “verbal altercations” with Sens. Patty Murray and Jeanne Shaheen, including a testy exchange with Shaheen over a House bill. Whining about a Foreign Relations Committee seat he didn’t get? That’s not how you win friends in Washington.
“Every time I see him, I’m worried about him,” a Democratic senator confessed anonymously. The same senator revealed colleagues are brainstorming how to “intervene” for Fetterman’s safety. Sounds like the Senate’s playing therapist instead of legislating.
Another senator, also anonymous, framed it as a friendly gesture: “We’re trying to be good friends.” But when your “friends” are plotting to save you from yourself, it’s less a coffee date and more a crisis meeting. The left’s obsession with feelings over function shines through.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) has taken a personal approach, befriending Fetterman to bridge the gap with others. “I worry about that,” another senator said of Fetterman’s isolation, urging colleagues to “step up.” Warm fuzzies won’t fix a senator missing 19% of his votes.
Fetterman’s Senate record is a mess. He’s skipped multiple Commerce Committee meetings and dropped off the Banking Committee in 2025 after struggling with complex material in 2023 and 2024. “He never seemed to be with it at Banking,” a Democratic aide snarked, exposing the senator’s floundering.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, ever the optimist, called Fetterman “a good legislator.” But with missed votes, committee no-shows, and a trail of concerned colleagues, Schumer’s praise rings hollow. The left’s denial can’t paper over Fetterman’s collapse.