US Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), leaves a confidential briefing for US Senators on the latest unidentified object shot down by the US military, on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, February 14, 2023.
Evelyn Hockstein Reuters
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will receive inpatient hospital care for “several weeks” as he seeks treatment for clinical depression, a senior staffer for the senator told CNBC on Friday.
How long Fetterman is expected to stay in the hospital was revealed hours after his office announced that the 53-year-old freshman lawmaker had checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Wednesday night.
Fetterman suffered a life-threatening stroke on the campaign trail last year, and he continues to have health problems in office. He was hospitalized last week after feeling mild, although doctors ruled out the possibility of a second stroke, the office said at the time.
“While John has suffered from persistent depression throughout his life, it has only gotten worse in recent weeks,” Fetterman’s chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said in a statement.
“After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the treatment he needs, and is coming back,” Jentleson said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
But Fetterman’s return to the Senate won’t be for a few days.
“We’re looking at several weeks” of inpatient treatment, as doctors try different drugs and dial in the right dose, Fetterman’s senior aide told NBC News on Thursday night. A top staffer for the senator confirmed the timeline to CNBC.
A spokeswoman for Fetterman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Calls to the senator’s office were not immediately returned.
Fetterman’s temporary absence from Capitol Hill will weaken the Senate’s 51-49 Democratic majority, which could make it harder for the polarized chamber to achieve its goals. Congress is working to pass a bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling before the summer to prevent the country from defaulting on its obligations, among other legislative priorities. The Senate is not in session next week.
Fetterman missed votes on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and Thursday, NBC reported.
Fetterman’s latest hospitalization has sparked support from his political allies. Many people praised the senator for opening up about his struggle with depression, which still carries a stigma in the US.
“John, Gisele – Jill and I are thinking of your family today,” President Joe Biden tweeted Friday.
“Millions of people struggle with depression every day, often privately. Getting the treatment you need is brave and important. We are grateful to lead by example,” said the president.
Depression is a common experience after a stroke. Fetterman’s aides told NBC that the senator has been struggling to adjust to the current situation, prompting him to seek treatment.