\n Sen. John Fetterman is lashing out at former aides who accused him of showing indifference toward his work and of routinely skipping constituent meetings, dismissing them as \u201cdisgruntled staffers\u201d pushing \u201csmears\u201d to tarnish his reputation.\n <\/p>\n
\n The first-term Pennsylvania Democrat broke his silence this weekend after The Wall Street Journal published<\/a> text messages and cited former staffers who contended Fetterman has grown more keen on ingratiating himself with conservative media than on the critical work expected of a United States senator.\n <\/p>\n \n Now, former Fetterman staffers have created an anonymous account on X<\/a> and are threatening to share further unflattering details about the senator, who is facing sagging approval ratings within his own party amid battles with the left over Israel, Iran and immigration \u2014 all as he stares at a potential run for reelection in 2028. The senator bluntly warned in July<\/a> that he would leave the Democratic Party if it adopts an anti-Israel policy \u2014 one of his most direct threats yet.\n <\/p>\n \n Facing an extraordinary rift with his own staff, Fetterman went public in a statement to CNN this weekend after he didn\u2019t reply to requests for comment from The Wall Street Journal. He called the article \u201cthe third hit piece from disgruntled staffers\u201d who have gone after him.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cPer usual \u2014 lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,\u201d Fetterman said, later adding: \u201cNo matter how many smears or stories, I\u2019m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n In the statement, Fetterman responded to three of the leaked text messages in The Journal\u2019s report, arguing they were \u201cstripped of any context and circumstances.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n In one text message from last September, The Journal reported, Fetterman asked his staff why he had to \u201ckeep having to meet\u201d with officials from the Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia, known as CHOP.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cBecause they\u2019re worried about Medicaid cuts,\u201d the aide said.\n <\/p>\n \n Fetterman responded: \u201cWell, I\u2019m not.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n In the statement to CNN, Fetterman called that comment a \u201cdumb joke, and for that, I sincerely apologize.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n But the senator added that he\u2019s met with the Philadelphia hospital officials \u201cvirtually and in person,\u201d pointing to a photo he posted on X<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cMy office and I always have, and always will, advocate for CHOP, support their requests and any other needs that we can assist with,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n \n The Journal report also revealed that Fetterman skipped a funeral for three police officers<\/a> killed near his hometown of York last September, citing a text message in which the senator griped at the service\u2019s three-hour length.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThis may be a nonstarter,\u201d Fetterman wrote in the text, according to The Journal.\n <\/p>\n \n In the statement to CNN, Fetterman said he took steps to express his condolences and meet with the family members affected.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cOn the day of that tragedy, we privately ordered flowers to be delivered for their families and expressed my condolences publicly,\u201d he said, citing a post on X expressing his grief<\/a>. \u201cIn June of this year, I privately attended a Tunnel to Towers fundraiser in York for the families. I met with their chief and the family members directly to express my personal condolences.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Fetterman, according to The Journal, also skipped a planned meeting with three paralyzed Pennsylvania veterans to discuss healthcare legislation. The paper reported that after Fetterman\u2019s staff told the veterans he wasn\u2019t feeling well, he showed up about an hour later in his office appearing fine and then conducted an interview on Fox News.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt was my intention to meet with the group,\u201d Fetterman said in the statement to CNN. \u201cPrior to the meeting I was at home throwing up, so I asked my staff to continue with the meeting which they did. Hours later, I felt well enough to continue the day as scheduled.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n The Journal report is not the first to cite aides raising alarms over Fetterman\u2019s behavior. Last year, New York Magazine<\/a> reported on a 2024 letter from Adam Jentleson, who had served as Fetterman\u2019s chief of staff, raising concerns over his behavior and mental health. The senator was hospitalized for depression in 2023 for about six weeks and has been open<\/a> about receiving treatment.\n <\/p>\n \n At the time, Fetterman had a similar response, telling CNN in May 2025 that the story cited \u201cdisgruntled staffers\u201d with a \u201cweird grudge.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Jentleson said on X last week that the recent Wall Street Journal report cited \u201can entirely new group of staff who have rotated in and apparently find themselves horrified at Fetterman\u2019s behavior.\u201d\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sen. 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