Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is not doing even the bare minimum of his professional duties, a Wall Street Journal report released Friday reveals.
According to multiple sources who spoke with the Journal, Fetterman has completely checked out and is refusing to meet with fellow lawmakers, state stakeholders, and more, instead preferring to use his position to appear on right-wing media and argue in favor of Israel’s war against Hamas and President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran.
Fetterman’s pro-war positions have made him a favorite on Fox News, which was once among his most outspoken detractors.
In one damning text exchange that the Journal reviewed, Fetterman told a staffer that he was not interested in speaking to officials from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia despite their concerns about the Trump administration cutting off access to vaccines and Medicaid.
According to the report, when he was told those hospital officials were “worried,” he responded, “Well I’m not,” then eventually added, “I’m convinced they just want free trips to DC.”
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, shown in November 2025.AP
The Journal notes that Fetterman has kept an extremely light daily schedule and has declined to meet with elected officials from Pennsylvania, even leaving them waiting when they arrived at his office for previously agreed-to meetings.
Pennsylvania state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams told the Journal that Fetterman was the only member of Williams’ area’s congressional delegation who declined to meet with a group of constituents who had traveled to Washington in April 2025 to discuss planned cuts from the Trump administration.
“He was available. He just chose not to meet with us,” Williams told the outlet.
Despite his disinterest in doing the basics of his job, Fetterman still apparently has the support of Democratic Party leadership. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the outlet that Fetterman is “an important member of our caucus,” despite the considerable evidence to the contrary. Perhaps Schumer said it to help prevent Fetterman from switching parties.
Fetterman was elected to the Senate in 2022, riding in on support from progressive and moderate voters in his state. But since then, he has turned his back on them. He has consistently undermined Democratic initiatives and come to the defense of Trump and other right-wing reactionaries. That has led to enormous disappointment with the senator and calls for him to be primaried if he runs for a second term, in 2028.
Fetterman has said he doesn’t intend to switch parties, but he now has more in-state support from Republicans than Democrats.
Putting aside Fetterman’s ideological realignment since coming to office, the Journal’s new report shows he is not working much on behalf of anyone in Pennsylvania, regardless of party.
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