Sen. John Fetterman is facing increasing isolation in the Senate, missing crucial votes and committee meetings, amid concerns about his mental health. Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Duffy addresses safety issues at Newark Airport. Trump’s team faces backlash over proposed tax changes and other controversies as Democrats ponder their leadership ahead of the 2028 elections.
Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, seems to find himself increasingly cut off in the Senate. Interviews with a dozen plus former aides, lawmakers, and insiders reveal a pattern of isolation and absence at work, both in D.C. and back home. This scrutiny has intensified following a recent article in New York magazine that raised concerns about Fetterman’s mental health and questioned his alignment with fellow Democrats, especially when it comes to addressing Trump’s agenda.
Reportedly, Fetterman was approached by Sen. Patty Murray for a private discussion regarding the confirmation of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary. Yet, he declined to chat with her, a senior member of the Democratic caucus. In another account, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen faced rudeness when reaching out to Fetterman about a Republican bill. His suggestion that her support could depend on him being put on a committee she couldn’t even influence felt dismissive to many.
Now, on the voting record — it’s a rocky one. From April 2024 to March this year, Fetterman missed around 77 out of 381 votes, placing him within the upper echelons of absenteeism among his peers in the Senate. A notable absence is that he skipped nearly all the Senate Commerce and Homeland Security Committee meetings this year, with his first attendance coinciding with the New York magazine article’s publication. Some House Democrats from Pennsylvania mentioned having no direct communication with him recently.
Meanwhile, as summer travels rev up, Newark Liberty International Airport is facing scrutiny after some concerning incidents. News came about radar screen outages and temporary loss of communication with an aircraft. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke about this on Sunday’s “Meet the Press.” He assured travelers that Newark is safe, but he acknowledged that addressing the infrastructure issues is daunting, with fixes slated to take years.
On the political scene, Trump’s administration is making headlines for several controversial moves. Senior adviser Stephen Miller hinted at wanting to eliminate due process for unauthorized immigrants. Simultaneously, pushback arises from the GOP regarding Trump’s proposals to raise taxes on the wealthy, as divisions appear over the seriousness of this approach.
In other news, Trump also fired Carla Hayden, the first female and African American Librarian of Congress, shocking many. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel is facing scrutiny for spending more time at sports events than on intelligence briefings, which raises eyebrows about his commitment.
Lastly, it’s a hot-topic week as Democrats look for leadership. A reader wondered if there would be a consistent face to lead the party, and national reporter Ben Kamisar responded that typically, without a nominee or president, there’s no singular figure to rally around, which lets various factions of the party emerge individually. It seems that until the next presidential campaign heats up, we’ll see this trend continue.
So that’s a wrap from the Politics Desk today, delivered to you with urgency! For more political insights, feel free to share your thoughts or sign up for updates with our newsletter.
Original Source: www.nbcnews.com
