Fetterman Says He's the 'Belichick Girlfriend Story' of Politics

U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), 2022. Photo by Dan Rios, courtesy of U.S. Senate Photographic Services. Public domain.

It started with a hospital stay. Now it's a political spectacle. Sources say Senator John Fetterman felt "pressured" into returning to work — and what followed has been a relentless barrage of media coverage, missed votes, and behind-the-scenes drama that's turned his mental health into front-page tabloid fuel.

In a candid interview with The New York Times, the Pennsylvania Democrat said the public — and the press — have taken his openness about depression and turned it against him. "After it's public that you are getting help for depression, people will weaponize that ... Simple things are turned. That's exactly what happened," Fetterman said, as reported by the New York Post.

Since returning to the Capitol after a six-week stay at Walter Reed, Fetterman has faced criticism over absences, reports of erratic behavior, and whispers from within his own party that he's veered off his recovery plan. Now, he says, the scrutiny feels less like accountability and more like a smear campaign.

A Hospital Stay, a Public Reveal, and the Fallout

Fetterman, who won his Senate seat in 2022 just months after a near-fatal stroke, checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in early 2023 for treatment for clinical depression. He reportedly spent 43 days in inpatient care, a move he announced publicly to highlight the importance of mental health awareness. "I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works. This isn't about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help," he said in a statement released from his office.

Support initially poured in. But the mood shifted when headlines started stacking up about missed Senate votes, canceled town halls, and a report suggesting Fetterman had grown isolated and confrontational behind closed doors.

The senator says the criticism was expected. He claims his own doctor warned him that going public with his diagnosis would open the door for opponents and media outlets to use it against him. According to the Daily Beast, in an interview with The New York Times, Fetterman said, "It shook me that people are willing to weaponize that I got help," as reported by Yahoo News.

Inside the Scrutiny: Absences, Tension, and a Staff Revolt

Since returning to Washington, Fetterman has reportedly missed more votes than nearly every other senator except two: former Senator JD Vance, who left office to become vice president, and Senator Tim Scott, who has been away campaigning.

A New York Magazine article ignited further controversy. It claimed that Fetterman was skipping hearings, showing up late or not at all to committee meetings, and refusing to hold town halls in Pennsylvania out of fear of protestors, as reported by the New York Post. According to the Huffington Post, former chief of staff Adam Jentleson penned a letter to Fetterman's physician warning of his declining mental health and lack of adherence to a recovery plan saying, "I think John is on a bad trajectory and I’m really worried about him," as reported by Yahoo News. The senator dismissed the article as a "one-source hit piece," and implied the leaks came directly from Jentleson himself, as reported by the New York Post.

Meanwhile, colleagues have reportedly grown frustrated. Some Senate Democrats reportedly held private meetings to discuss how to help—or manage—Fetterman. According to the Daily Beast, one Democratic source said, "Every time I see him, I'm worried about him," as reported by Yahoo News.

Political Performance vs. Personal Boundaries

Fetterman has acknowledged his frequent absences and lack of participation in committee duties. But he's also made clear that many of those tasks, in his view, are political theater. According to the Huffington Post, he has called procedural votes "performative" and said he often skips them in favor of family time, especially with his daughter or to care for his father following a heart attack, as reported by Yahoo News.

Despite this, his recent attendance has reportedly improved. Fetterman chaired a Senate hearing in early May involving OpenAI CEO Sam Altman — his first such appearance this year. According to the Daily Beast, Fetterman told the Times, "The votes I missed were overwhelmingly procedural; they're even called 'bed check' votes ... I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date," as reported by Yahoo News.

Trump, Town Halls, and Mixed Messaging

Fetterman's political branding is harder to pin down than ever. He has publicly praised Donald Trump, reportedly visiting the former president at Mar-a-Lago in January. Some Democrats were stunned after he expressed openness to Trump's controversial Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, prompting reports that he avoided a follow-up meeting with Sen. Patty Murray to dodge confrontation.

He's also avoided public town halls, citing safety concerns and fear of heckling. According to the Times, Fetterman told sources close to him, "I just want to be in a room full of love," as reported by the Huffington Post and Yahoo News.

Some observers have called this evasiveness. Others call it self-preservation.

Mental Health and the Cost of Transparency

Fetterman insists the media is feeding on his vulnerability. He says his experience mirrors that of former Patriots coach Bill Belichick — not in politics, but in the way the press has fixated on personal drama. He specifically called the scrutiny the "Belichick girlfriend story of politics," referencing tabloid coverage of Belichick's relationship with a woman 49 years his junior, as reported by the New York Post.

But this isn't just a media frenzy — it's a crisis of public confidence.

Can a senator be transparent about serious mental health challenges and still be seen as capable? Or does vulnerability disqualify you in a job that demands near-constant presence and political finesse?

The answer isn't clear. What's certain is this: Fetterman's decision to go public didn't end his struggles. It exposed them — and made them everyone else's business.

References: Sen. John Fetterman says news outlets 'weaponized' his mental health treatment: 'the Belichick girlfriend story of politics' | 'Shook' Fetterman Shamed Into Coming to Work Amid Mental Struggles | Fetterman Doesn't Want To Show Up For Work, Says His Mental Health Has Been 'Weaponized' | Sen. Fetterman Released from Walter Reed, Back in Braddock