Fetterman Staffers Voice Concern Over Senator’s Mental Health

A revealing article published by New York Magazine’s Intelligencer has brought to light serious concerns from individuals close to Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., who say his recent behavior and abrupt policy changes have created what they describe as a “toxic work environment.”

The piece, titled All By Himself, presents a portrait of a Senator whose demeanor and conduct have reportedly changed significantly since he suffered a stroke in May 2022. Although Fetterman stood by his decisions and defended his voting record in the article, multiple current and former staffers suggested that the man now representing Pennsylvania in the Senate is no longer the same leader they once knew. Among the most striking revelations is an email sent by Adam Jentleson—Fetterman’s former chief of staff—to a physician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “I’m worried that if John stays on his current trajectory, he won’t be with us for much longer,” Jentleson wrote, expressing alarm over Fetterman’s dietary habits, refusal to take prescribed medication, and erratic behavior. He went on to describe a pattern of “high highs and low lows,” adding that Fetterman delivers “long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues” and is prone to “lying in ways that are painfully, awkwardly obvious to everyone in the room.”

Sources currently working for the Senator, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, shared their own accounts of unease. Some said they have felt unsafe around Fetterman and were warned explicitly never to ride in a car if he was behind the wheel. This concern was underscored by an incident last August when Fetterman and his wife were involved in a car crash on a Maryland freeway. Law enforcement found him to be at fault. More recently, in February, two of his senior aides—communications director Charlie Hills and legislative director Tré Easton—left their roles. The list of departures has grown so substantially that 16 former aides formed a group called “Fetterman Alumni for Peace,” created specifically to express their discontent over his rightward shift in ideology.

Fetterman’s positions on several key issues have garnered applause from conservatives and backlash from his progressive base. His firm stances on illegal immigration, energy policy, and support for Israel have stood in stark contrast to many in the Democrat Party. When President Donald Trump proposed that the U.S. take administrative control of Gaza, most Democrats denounced the idea. Fetterman, however, endorsed the proposal, saying it was worth exploring and stating he would “fully support” deploying American troops to the region. Just last week, he reinforced his reputation as a foreign policy hawk by calling on the Trump administration to launch strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and abandon efforts at diplomatic engagement.

Although none of his aides directly linked his recent ideological evolution to his health struggles, they didn’t dismiss the possibility either.

On the matter of border security, Fetterman once again parted ways with many of his colleagues by attending President Trump’s signing of the Laken Riley Act. “I believe a secure border creates a more secure nation and it’s just common sense,” Fetterman said in a statement. “I believe a stronger border is fully compatible with my commitment to immigration.”

Despite his growing appeal among centrist and conservative voters, many of those closest to Fetterman view his future in national politics with hesitation. His populist appeal on hot-button issues like immigration and fracking may position him as a potential standard-bearer for the party in 2028, but insiders worry about his capacity to lead. “Part of the tragedy here is that this is a man who could be leading Democrats out of the wilderness,” Jentleson remarked. “But I also think he’s struggling in a way that shouldn’t be hidden from the public.”