Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman is facing renewed scrutiny over his performance in office following a report that portrays the first-term Democrat as increasingly disengaged from core Senate duties. The Wall Street Journal investigation, published September 4, 2026, cites interviews with more than a dozen former staffers and lawmakers, along with internal text messages, to paint a picture of a senator who has reportedly shown little interest in constituent meetings, committee hearings, and basic legislative responsibilities.
Fetterman, who suffered a stroke during his 2022 campaign and was treated for depression soon after being sworn into office, has faced questions about his job performance before. However, the latest reporting has intensified scrutiny, with episodes including canceled meetings with disabled veterans and a refusal to meet with constituents from a flood-prone Philadelphia neighborhood.
The report comes as Fetterman, up for reelection in 2028, has increasingly distanced himself from parts of the Democratic Party — particularly on Israel and foreign policy — while building relationships with conservative media figures. His office did not respond to requests for comment on the report.
According to The Wall Street Journal’s investigation, Fetterman has shown what the publication described as “disdain” for fundamental aspects of his job as a senator. The reporting draws on interviews with former staffers, lawmakers, and others familiar with his office’s operations, as well as internal text messages.
One of the most striking episodes detailed in the report involves three paralyzed military veterans from rural Pennsylvania who traveled to Washington in June 2026 to meet with Fetterman about legislation affecting their care. According to the Journal, Fetterman’s staff informed the veterans that the senator had canceled because he was not feeling well, potentially due to something he ate.
However, less than an hour later, Fetterman reportedly returned to his office and told staff he had another appointment he did not want to miss: an interview with Fox News to discuss the war in Iran and Israel. The Journal reported that staff held the meeting with the veterans instead.
The report also cited a 2025 incident involving state Rep. Anthony Hardy Williams (D-Philadelphia), who brought constituents from Eastwick — a poorer, flood-prone Philadelphia neighborhood — to Washington to discuss federal grant cuts. Williams told the Journal that the entire Pennsylvania congressional delegation met with the group except Fetterman, who reportedly ignored constituents as they called out to him in the Capitol hallways.
“He was available. He just chose not to meet with us,” Williams told the Journal.
The reporting raises broader questions about Fetterman’s engagement with his responsibilities as a senator. According to the Journal, Fetterman has:
The Journal report also described internal staff text messages showing Fetterman expressing frustration about meeting with children from a hospital. When told the children were concerned about vaccines and Medicaid cuts, Fetterman reportedly replied: “Well I’m not.”
In March 2025, when informed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s staff was arranging a special call involving all Senate Democrats, Fetterman allegedly responded: “I truly don’t care.”
Fetterman’s attendance at Senate hearings has been a point of concern for some time. According to an NBC News investigation published in May 2025, Fetterman had skipped 25 of 26 hearings or business meetings held by the Senate Commerce Committee that year.
Among the meetings he missed were confirmation hearings for key Trump administration nominees, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Fetterman did address his attendance record in comments to NBC News at the time, noting that “Everything in 2024 was about the election” and that he had spent months traveling Pennsylvania to help Democrats. He also said he had made “roughly 90%” of Senate votes, with the missed votes being “overwhelmingly procedural.”
However, NBC News reported that Fetterman had not held town hall meetings in Pennsylvania, leading Cumberland County Democratic Chair Matt Roan to call for his resignation in an op-ed.
Former staffers who spoke to both The Wall Street Journal and NBC News expressed concerns about Fetterman’s isolation and disengagement.
Fetterman’s former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, who left the office in 2024 after writing a critical letter about the senator’s behavior, told NBC News he saw a decline in the strength of Fetterman’s relationships after his 2023 mental health treatment.
“He is isolated and has damaged his personal relationships,” Jentleson said. “In the fall, he had started to build relationships with other senators, but that has fallen off a cliff. He comes up with reasons why they are all out to get him or secretly hate him.”
A former Fetterman staffer, speaking anonymously to NBC News, said the question of whether Fetterman should continue to serve should come down to job performance.
“Are you meeting with constituents? How are those meetings going? What’s your schedule like? Are you missing lots of votes? Are you in committee hearings? Are you doing things in the state? Are you visible? Are you accessible? You run down the list, and the answer to those things is like, ‘no,'” the former staffer said.
A House Democratic lawmaker from Pennsylvania told NBC News they had not interacted with Fetterman in recent months. “I haven’t seen him this year in person,” the lawmaker said. “My staff reaches out on bills and such.”
Fetterman has not directly addressed the latest Wall Street Journal report. His office did not respond to requests for comment from the Journal, the Washington Examiner, or other outlets.
However, Fetterman has previously addressed questions about his Senate work. In response to earlier reports about missed committee hearings, he told NBC News that his focus had been on the 2024 election and that the votes he missed were procedural.
Regarding his lack of in-state events, a spokesperson told NBC News that the Senate schedule “has given few opportunities for extensive travel in the state since January,” and that Fetterman had also sought time to spend with his family.
Fetterman has also been vocal on policy matters, recently criticizing the Democratic Party’s position on the filibuster and Israel. In a July 2026 Washington Post column, Fetterman said he was “horribly wrong” to support eliminating the filibuster during the Biden administration, arguing that the rule now protects against what he called “chaotic” policies from the Trump administration.
“I truly believe the filibuster is a critical line of defense that prevents President Donald Trump from having a fill-in-the-blank government,” Fetterman wrote.
On Israel, Fetterman has taken a position that puts him at odds with many in his party. He has called for continued support for Israel and criticized what he describes as the party’s embrace of “anti-Israel” positions. He has said he would leave the Democratic Party if it “ever becomes … the anti-Israel party.”
John Fetterman is a Democratic U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, first elected in 2022. He defeated Republican Mehmet Oz in the general election, flipping a Republican-held seat.
Before his Senate election, Fetterman served as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023. Prior to that, he was the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, a small town near Pittsburgh where he gained attention for his progressive policies and distinctive style.
Fetterman’s 2022 campaign was marked by a stroke he suffered just days before the Democratic primary, which affected his auditory processing and speech. He underwent surgery to install a pacemaker with a defibrillator and later checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment of clinical depression in early 2023.
His term runs through January 3, 2029. Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028.
Questions about a senator’s participation in hearings, constituent services, and legislative work go to the heart of representative democracy. Constituents expect their elected officials to be accessible, engaged, and focused on the work of governance — particularly on issues that affect their daily lives.
The report comes at a time when Fetterman’s political standing has shifted. A March 2026 Wall Street Journal report indicated that his approval among Democrats had fallen sharply, while remaining popular among Republicans. He has increasingly appeared on conservative media and developed relationships with Republican figures, fueling speculation about his political future.
However, Fetterman has repeatedly denied speculation that he might switch parties. “Never,” he said when asked about leaving the Democratic Party. “I’m not being cute. I vote 90-something percent with Democrats.”
What is reported:
What is not established:
Questions about Fetterman’s Senate performance are likely to continue as the 2028 election approaches. His approval ratings among Democrats have fallen while rising among Republicans, according to a March 2026 Wall Street Journal report, creating an unusual political dynamic.
Federal Election Commission records list Fetterman as a Democratic Senate candidate for Pennsylvania in 2028, but he has not made a formal announcement about his intentions. Some political observers have speculated that he may not seek reelection, though there is no evidence to support that claim at this time.
The report’s findings have drawn criticism on social media and from some in his own party. Cumberland County Democratic Chair Matt Roan has previously called for Fetterman’s resignation. Whether other Pennsylvania Democrats or the state party will take a position on the latest report remains to be seen.
Fetterman’s position on key issues — including his support for the filibuster and his stance on Israel — has also created tensions within his party. The combination of policy disagreements and questions about his job performance could shape the political landscape ahead of 2028.
John Fetterman is a Democratic U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, first elected in 2022. He previously served as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor and as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania.
According to a Wall Street Journal report published September 4, 2026, Fetterman has been criticized for showing little interest in Senate work, including skipping constituent meetings and most committee hearings. The report cites former staffers and internal text messages.
Yes, John Fetterman is currently serving as a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. His term runs through January 3, 2029.
John Fetterman represents Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.
Fetterman’s office has not responded to requests for comment on the Wall Street Journal report from multiple outlets. Fetterman has not directly addressed the report.
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