Senate Democrats are plotting an intervention for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman amid concerns for his health and a reported mental decline, which he denies, according to The Hill.
The publication cited three anonymous Democratic senators who said they and their colleagues are trying to come up with a plan to help Fetterman, whose mental state is under a microscope after an explosive New York magazine article raised questions about his increasingly erratic behavior.
“Every time I see him, I’m worried about him,” one of the sources candidly admitted, citing the story—which Fetterman himself disregarded as a “hit piece.”
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“I know we’re all in touch with each other having conversations about how to intervene. I haven’t heard anybody say they’re not worried about it.”
The lawmaker went on to say: “People are trying to figure out what to do. People are worried about his safety.”
A second senator said the talks are coming from a place of friendship.
“They’ve been more like, ‘We’re friends. What can we do as friends to provide some support?’” said the senator. “I worry about that. And that means, as friends, we need to step up.”
A third senator expressed concern about Fetterman’s “well-being.”
The Daily Beast has contacted Fetterman’s office for comment.
Fetterman suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2022.
The stroke left him with auditory processing issues, and just weeks after he was sworn into office in early 2023, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and treated for six weeks for depression.
In the New York magazine piece published earlier this month, members of Fetterman’s staff said they avoided working directly with the 55-year-old senator because he was prone to mood swings and paranoia.
The article describes high-risk behavior—including reckless driving, fights with his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, and aides’ concerns that the senator wasn’t going to medical appointments or taking his medication.
Fetterman waved it away and said he’ll see out the rest of his term, which is due to finish in 2028.
