Fetterman called to ‘step aside’ by Philadelphia Inquirer if disengaged or mental health issues too severe

The Philadelphia Inquirer called out Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., in an editorial on Sunday, demanding the senator "perform his job" or step aside, amid reports of concern about his mental health.

"Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny. If Fetterman can’t handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside," the Inquirer's editorial board wrote. 

"Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement," the editorial board continued. "If Fetterman wants to continue to serve, then he must take his position seriously."

Fetterman, who suffered from a stroke in 2022, was the subject of an alarming New York Magazine article last month that cited anecdotes from several former staffers about his issues, which the senator said was a "hit piece." The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported on the ex-staffers' concerns, including one who said, "It’s pretty impossible to overstate how disengaged he is."

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The Philadelphia Inquirer called out Sen. Fetterman in an editorial on Sunday, urging the senator to either step up or step aside.  (Background: (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images), Center: Screenshot/PhiladelphiaInquirer)

Fox News' Shannon Bream asked Fetterman during an installment of the Senate Project series, organized by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, about how the Democratic senator would respond to the Inquirer. 

"Well, for me, it’s very clear, which is part of like this weird smear, this thing," Fetterman said, pointing to his support for Israel, a strong border and his vote to avoid a government shutdown. "I’ve continued [to] get more and more kinds of incoming and those things, and all of those things. So, the more kinds of left kind of media continue to have these kinds of an attack, and it’s just part of a smear, and it’s just not accurate."

The Philadelphia Inquirer argued that the senator hasn't had much time for Pennsylvania or Washington, D.C., pointing to multiple trips he's taken to Israel, and his January trip to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President Donald Trump.

The Inquirer accused Fetterman of schmoozing Trump.

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., talks with West Point cadets in the Senate subway on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"It’s time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away," the Inquirer concluded. 

A staffer told New York Magazine that he received a message questioning how Fetterman was doing, as he was found sitting at a table alone, silently drinking a soda.

The report went on to claim the lawmaker was "nearly struck by a car" and found "wandering" Capitol Hill. 

"Former and current staffers paint a picture of an erratic senator who has become almost impossible to work for and whose mental-health situation is more serious and complicated than previously reported," the article read.

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U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks to reporters in the Senate Subway during a series of confirmation votes for U.S. President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees on February 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Fetterman was hospitalized for clinical depression shortly after taking office in 2023. He spent about six weeks in treatment before being released. 

During his 2022 Pennsylvania Senate campaign, liberal media outlets aggressively defended Fetterman from concerns about his fitness for office after his stroke, but his pro-Israel stance and more moderate positions on some key issues have alienated some of his progressive supporters since then.

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Fetterman's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.