Strange Things About John Fetterman Everyone Ignores

John Fetterman has had a packed few years with the start of his Senate career, with congressional pushback to his laid-back style, medical emergencies, and his very open mental health journey. Right when things seemed to settle, a bomb was dropped by none other than Fetterman's own Chief of Staff, Adam Jentleson. Spurred on by the Senator's increasingly concerning habits, Jentleson penned a 1,600-word email in hopes of garnering support and guidance with the senator's worsening behavior. He detailed a laundry list of concerns, detailing specific events and continued habits of the politician that he — as well as his fellow staffer — believed to be intensifying. Following the list of worries, Jentleson wrote, "But this is one of the things you said to flag, so I am flagging." (via Intelligencer). 

Fetterman has dismissed the former employee's concerns, telling NBC News, "It's a one-source story, with a couple anonymous sources, hit piece from a very left publication. There's really nothing more to say about it." But as others in Congress become more and more aware of these bad habits through poor public displays, Fetterman's personality and past have been placed under a microscope. 

As his term continues to unravel, so does John Fetterman, as staffers and others close to the senator report loud outbursts from the democrat. One specific explosion in May 2025 brought a staffer to tears and left her to be comforted by guests who were meant to be meeting with Fetterman. Hosting a meeting with a group of teachers from unions all over Pennsylvania, Fetterman was said to have suddenly sunken into a tantrum-like state, shouting and slamming his hands on the desk, as he ranted on, "Everybody is mad at me? Why does everyone hate me? What did I ever do?" (via Spotlight Pa) When this outburst failed to settle, the meeting was ended early by a staffer, who brought the teachers into the hall where she promptly broke down crying.

This event has been one of many, as shared through a 1,600-word letter written by Fetterman's chief of staff, Adam Jentleson. The staffer reported in this email, "I think John is on a bad trajectory and I'm really worried about him." (via Intelligencer) before detailing Fetterman's increasingly worrisome behaviors behind the closed doors of his congressional office. As a high-ranked employee of the Senator, his worrying comments about the politician show a serious concern and definite change in the third year of Fetterman's term. Given the senator's hulking presence, standing well over 6'5", it's certainly terrifying to hear reports of his such erratic behavior.

Given his history and close staffers' reports, the cold hard truth about John Fetterman is that he's not a good driver. As meticulously covered in his chief of staff's lengthy email to Fetterman's doctor, the senator has been partaking in behaviors that make him a danger to be behind the wheel and are simply downright illegal. Adam Jentleson's letter detailed some of this dangerous behavior as he wrote, "He engages in risky behavior. He drives recklessly." (via The New York Times) Jentleson detailed that Fetterman had admitted to staff, and been seen by staff, speeding while texting, answering FaceTime calls behind the wheel, and had even fallen asleep behind the wheel on occasion. 

Fetterman's bad driving history is nowhere near a secret, with reckless driving, speeding, and distracted driving as common factors in the senator's ticket history. In 2016, Fetterman was pulled over twice and ticketed for driving over 20 mph over the posted speed limit, in one case, the senator was speeding at 34 mph over the limit. His reckless habits caught up to him, as his poor driving skills caused a car crash on the interstate, for which the senator was found at fault. The crash left the driver injured after being hit so hard by Fetterman that her trunk was crushed into the backseat of her car.

Elected in November 2022 to his seat in the Senate as a senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman faced a series of medical emergencies that pulled him out of congressional sessions. However, it's the time following his recovery that has raised some serious eyebrows as Fetterman's continued absences are both felt and seen by many of his colleagues. Not only a Senator, but a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Fetterman (as of October 2025) had missed nearly 200 votes. Even earlier in the same year, Fetterman's seat in the Senate committee had remained empty until May 8, 2025. His lack of attendance at congressional votes has encouraged an ongoing rumor that the democrat may not be fit to maintain his role in government. But Fetterman dismissed these concerns, telling Fox News Sunday that all the media reports on the politician's absence at his job were part of a campaign against him: "It's just part of like this weird — this weird smear." (via The Hill).

Fetterman further excused his absences as a logical decision in response to procedural votes, claiming that showing up for work to participate in a simple vote wasn't worth sacrificing nights with his family. His response downplays citizens' concerns, dismisses his continued absentee pattern, and begs the question: what about his constituents' families? As many of his colleagues continue to report to work.

When John Fetterman ran for office in 2022, he ran as a democrat in opposition to Dr. Oz. By November, he was elected by the state of Pennsylvania to the senate, but, since May 2022, the senator has done little to show support toward his democratic constituents. Fetterman's independent approach to the party has led to his bipartisan support of legislation across the board, outside of party affiliation. While this approach to politics breaks the rigid lines of the Senate, the democrat's sudden newfound appreciation for President Donald Trump has raised a few eyebrows with his constituents and his Pennsylvania voters. 

While running, his campaign was likened to that of progressive democrats like Bernie Sanders, but — as his time in Congress continues — Fetterman has taken a clear stance against his party, even joining with House Republicans in their crusade to blame the blue party for the 2025 government shutdown. As his new stances show an unchanging alignment with the right, Fetterman's meetings with the president and outspoken support of Trump have created a distinct new image for the politician. The once progressive candidate is now labeled Trump's favorite democrat by Philadelphia Representative Brendan Boyle. With the rise of individuals who wait to be elected to change their party ties, Fetterman's questionable switch on his Pennsylvania voters is a definite sketchy move on the Senator's part.

John Fetterman, during his campaign, maintained an image of a regular citizen, always seen in his black hoodie and basketball shorts. When his 2022 election shuffled a team of staffers and employees Fetterman's way, this view of the everyday man faded and was replaced with his new title: politician. The senator's staffers grew close to him out of necessity of their jobs, wrangling support for the democrat, predicting his ever need, and assisting with daily ad hoc assignments. In a short amount of time, these individuals became some of the most understanding of Fetterman and his habits. As such, their sudden concern for the senator should've raised eyebrows when in Fetterman's chief-of-staff Adam Jentleson's detailed writings, he took note of bizarre ramblings that Fetterman had started taking part in. 

Penned in a means to find support, Jentleson wrote that Fetterman's would often spiral into long, rambling talks that featured repetitive phrases and self-centered remarks. The chief of staff continued, adding that his boss often would spew obvious lies that left rooms heavy with awkward tensions as everyone could tell the politician was lying. Jentleson detailed this behavior as a larger sign of Fetterman's growing megalomania, which had reached a concerning level. It's hard not to find similarity in Fetterman's actions to that of Donald Trump's own inappropriate ramblings, where he bloviates at the expense of others.