John Fetterman faces calls to resign—What polls of Pennsylvania voters show
Senator John Fetterman was told to "just quit" by former Democratic Representative Conor Lamb after The Wall Street Journal published a report alleging Fetterman has shown "little interest" in his work.
The new report, published Friday morning, alleged that the Pennsylvania Democrat, elected in 2022, has shown little interest in the day-to-day aspects of being a senator, including meeting with constituents, attending hearings and making in-state appearances, citing a former staffer.
"Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous," Fetterman told CNN in his only statement so far about the allegations in the report.
"No matter how many smears or stories, I'm proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania," he added.
Newsweek has reached out to his office for comment via email.
The report comes as Fetterman has faced increasing scrutiny from Democrats , as he has drifted rightward on certain issues like Israel and has been willing to side with the Trump administration on some priorities.
He has faced mounting questions about leaving the Democratic Party but has denied having any interest in doing so.
Three Major Bombshells About John Fetterman in WSJ Report
The Journal 's report outlines several instances alleging that Fetterman declined to meet with constituents or attend local events across his state. Newsweek has not independently verified the allegations .
Dismissed Hospital Concerns on Vaccines, Medicaid
Text messages reported by the newspaper showed Fetterman asking an aide why he had to keep meeting with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). When the aide said they were concerned about vaccines and Medicaid cuts, the senator allegedly wrote back, "Well I'm not."
He also allegedly wrote that he was "convinced they just want free trips to DC."
Speaking to CNN, Fetterman said his remark was a "dumb joke, and for that, I sincerely apologize."
Referencing an image he previously posted on X with officials from CHOP, he added that he had met with the Philadelphia hospital officials "virtually and in person."
"My office and I always have, and always will, advocate for CHOP, support their requests and any other needs that we can assist with," he said.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman speaks in Boston on June 2, 2025.
Declined to Meet With Constituents From Philadelphia
The article also quoted state legislator Anthony Hardy Williams, who said that he brought constituents from a flood-prone neighborhood in Philadelphia to meet with their representatives in Washington, but that Fetterman was the only representative who declined to meet.
"He was available. He just chose not to meet with us," Williams, a Democrat, told the newspaper.
"It was my intention to meet with the group," Fetterman told CNN. "Prior to the meeting I was at home throwing up, so I asked my staff to continue with the meeting which they did. Hours later, I felt well enough to continue the day as scheduled."
Skipped Funeral for Police Officers
Another instance the article reported on is a funeral for three police officers killed near York last September. Text messages reported by the Journal showed that he described the three-hour funeral as a "nonstarter."
"On the day of that tragedy, we privately ordered flowers to be delivered for their families and expressed my condolences publicly," he said, referencing a post he made on X regarding the incident "In June of this year, I privately attended a Tunnel to Towers fundraiser in York for the families. I met with their chief and the family members directly to express my personal condolences."
Fetterman Faces Democratic Ire After WSJ Report
Lamb, who ran against Fetterman in the 2022 Democratic primary and previously represented a Western Pennsylvania district in the House of Representatives, urged him to leave the Senate in a post on X after the report was published.
"John, @SenFettermanPA if there is a decent bone left in your body, just quit. It's an insult to decent people in our state for you to treat them and the office this way," he wrote.
Other prominent Democrats also spoke out against Fetterman following the report.
Representative Brendan Boyle, who represents a Philadelphia-based district in Congress, wrote on X, "John Fetterman is a disgrace. Our state deserves better than a lazy trust fund baby who is too lazy to do the job."
Representative Chris Deluzio, who succeeded Lamb in Congress, wrote that Fetterman is "not up for the high office he was elected to — and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028."
"There is a lot I could say about this report of John Fetterman's pathetic behavior as a Senator. But between the laziness, disrespect, and willingness to carry water for a foreign government, it shows us something we already know: this man has no sense of duty," he wrote.
Representative Chris Deluzio speaks on April 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Others have also called for his resignation. Democratic strategist Mike Nellis wrote on X, "At this point, I don't even care if Fetterman switches parties. He is just a broken, sad man who doesn't do his job. He's a disgrace to the people of Pennsylvania and should resign."
Joe Walsh, who served in Congress as a Republican but has switched parties in the Trump era, wrote, "John Fetterman really ought to think about resigning. He's just not doing the job of a United States Senator. Not even close. He's not well. He needs help. He should resign."
New X Account of Alleged Former Staffers
A new X account run by a group of alleged former staffers of Fetterman launched this month, promising to publicly share their experiences working for the Pennsylvania Democrat.
The account, @FettermanStaff, emerged after The Journal's report detailed allegations from former aides about Fetterman's approach to his Senate duties. The former staffers have described the account as a group effort and said they plan to release additional stories and screenshots, with posts indicating that more material could be published when the Senate returns September 14.
When Does John Fetterman's Term End?
Fetterman's term is set to end in 2028. He has not said whether he plans to run for reelection, but many Democrats have not been shy about believing he should face a primary challenge. Deluzio, Boyle and Lamb have been among the names floated as potential challengers, though none have said for sure they plan to run.
Waning Popularity Among Democrats
Fetterman has faced diminishing approval numbers among Democrats in Pennsylvania.
A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that Democrats disapprove of him in large numbers, but that his overall approval rating is bolstered by a strong showing among Republicans. Among Democrats, 19 percent approved of him and 69 percent disapproved, according to the poll.
But 77 percent of Republicans approved of the Democratic senator, while only 12 percent disapproved, according to the poll. Among independents, 44 percent approved of Fetterman, and 48 percent disapproved.
Overall, his approval rating was 7 points above water, 48 percent to 41 percent.
Most Democrats—57 percent—said they would like to see Fetterman leave the party.
The poll surveyed 895 registered voters in Pennsylvania from July 9 to 13, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
Another poll from The New York Times and Siena University found that only 20 percent of Democrats viewed the senator favorably, while 79 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of independents did. Among Democrats, 67 percent said they believe he supports Trump too much.
It surveyed 760 Pennsylvania voters from August 17 to 21, 2026.
Fetterman Has Denied Plans to Switch Parties
Despite speculation that he could become an independent or even a Republican with his more moderate streak, Fetterman has said he would not do so , pointing to his support for LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights as issues squarely aligning him with Democrats.
He told The New York Times in May that he has "no plans" to switch parties.
"I remain strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor and even pro-rib-eye over bio slop. I refuse to cave on my conscience because Pennsylvania deserves someone who is honest and can work across the aisle," he said.
Fetterman has also become increasingly vocal against the rise of progressives in the Democratic Party . He has established himself as a staunch defender of Israel and has opposed members of his party who are more critical of the Israeli government and military actions. He has also spoken out against socialism, as more democratic socialists have been winning in Democratic primaries .
"The Democratic Party is becoming the party of socialism. 58% view socialism positively. 50% view capitalism negatively. I'm a proud free market capitalist. This is lunacy," he wrote in an August 16 post to X.
He has been more willing than other Democratic senators to align with Trump on cabinet nominations but has also voted against key Trump priorities like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He has also said he opposes the SAVE Act but supports requiring photo identification to vote.
What Happens Next
Fetterman remains an important voice in the Senate; as he is viewed as the most moderate Democratic senator, he is a key swing vote on legislation. If Democrats retake the Senate or even narrow the GOP majority in the midterms, his vote could become even more decisive next year. He is up for reelection in 2028 but has not formally announced his plans.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon , Sam Wilson , Anna Commander , Gray R. Thomas.
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