A recent article in New York Magazine by journalist Ben Terris has brought to light significant concerns among people closest to Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, offering an “eye-opening” and “profoundly unnerving” look into his world, according to Terris’s interview on MSNBC with Chris Hayes.
The extensive report details worries among Fetterman’s inner circle regarding both his physical and mental health, his political trajectory, and challenges in their working relationship with him.
Terris described the reporting process as “hard” and “sad,” noting that many sources were people who deeply believed in Fetterman but are now genuinely worried about his well-being and feel he has “fallen off the recovery plan” he was on.
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Fetterman suffered a stroke during his 2022 campaign, resulting in severe auditory processing issues. Despite this, he was elected to the Senate. Following his election, he checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks in early 2023 to receive treatment for clinical depression.
According to the article, while Fetterman’s time at Walter Reed initially led to him leveling out and inspired pride among staff for his role in destigmatizing mental health, difficulties reportedly arose again after his return.
Sources describe instances where Fetterman would allegedly shut down, avoid doing his job, and that there were days where his schedule had to be cleared to prevent him from saying what was described as “unhinged stuff.”
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The article reports specific incidents that preceded his Walter Reed admission. One involved Fetterman requiring hospitalization at George Washington University Hospital for dehydration after reportedly wandering into the street.
A week later, according to the article, a meeting with Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown was described by two people present as deeply concerning, with Fetterman allegedly appearing “virtually catatonic.” This sequence of events reportedly led staff to consult with medical professionals, resulting in the decision for Fetterman to seek serious treatment at Walter Reed.
The New York Magazine piece also explores a perceived shift in Fetterman’s political positions, particularly his outspoken and hawkish stance on Israel, which marks a departure from his previous alignment with the progressive wing of the Democratic party.
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The article highlights rhetoric described as surprising by those who know him, including a reported comment to “kill them all” regarding Hamas (which Fetterman has denied in the article, stating any reference to killing was solely about Hamas and its destruction), and referring to Palestinians as “sour milk” that “you can’t reform.”
While Terris explicitly stated during the MSNBC interview that he does not claim this political shift is a result of Fetterman’s health issues, the article reportedly conveys the difficulty those closest to the Senator now face in distinguishing between behaviors or political positions that might stem from his health struggles and those that represent his true beliefs or evolution.
Fetterman himself reportedly spoke to Ben Terris for the New York Magazine article. The report underscores the complex challenges facing the Senator and the significant concerns held by those who have worked closely with him regarding his ongoing health, recovery, and public role.
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