Politics

John Fetterman Reportedly Ditched Meeting With Disabled Vets To Do Fox News Hit On Israel

[Screenshot/YouTube/Fox News]

Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman reportedly ditched a meeting with disabled veterans in June to talk about Israel on Fox News, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Fetterman reportedly canceled the meeting with three disabled veterans who traveled to his office, citing an illness, according to the WSJ. Less than an hour after his staff met with the veterans, Fetterman arrived for his interview to discuss Israel and the Iran war without appearing to be ill, the WSJ reported.

Former staffers and lawmakers told the WSJ that Fetterman showed more interest in advocating for Israel than doing his job. The senator often refused to meet with constituents and fellow lawmakers or canceled meetings last minute.

Fetterman’s office did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

A screenshot showed that Fetterman refused to meet with officials at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who were worried about Medicaid cuts, according to the WSJ. Fetterman told an aide he was not concerned about the cuts.

“I’m convinced they just want free trips to DC,” Fetterman said.

Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter met with Fetterman in his office in September 2025 and suggested that the senator write an op-ed explaining why he continued to support Israel. Fetterman agreed and told Leiter he would write the submission based on talking points the ambassador sent him.

The ambassador sent drafted points to Fetterman a few days later, although his staff did not tell Fetterman out of concern that the op-ed could violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Fetterman said in July that he would only leave the Democratic Party if they became too anti-Israel.

“If our party ever becomes…the anti-Israel party, you know, that’s when I would leave,” Fetterman said.

The Pennsylvania senator was furious at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that he was not placed on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to the WSJ. In March 2025, he told aides that he did not care about Schumer’s staff arranging a special call for Senate Democrats.

Fetterman broke with his party on war powers resolutions and opposed efforts to withhold U.S. military aid from Israel. Many Democrats became critical of Israel over their actions in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

Fetterman supported backing the deployment of troops to the Gaza Strip in February 2025 to assist with President Donald Trump’s plan to take control of the area.

A poll found that 42% of Democratic voters had a “very unfavorable” view of Fetterman, while 26% had a “somewhat unfavorable” opinion,” according to a Philadelphia Inquirer/New York Times/Siena University survey. Forty-four percent of Republican voters had a “somewhat favorable” view of Fetterman and 35% had a “very favorable” view.