John Fetterman ‘on path to recovery’ after two weeks in hospital for depression

‘He is visiting with staff and family daily, and his staff are keeping him updated on Senate business and news’

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is “doing well” in his course of treatment for clinical depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, his office has said.

Mr Fetterman, a first-term Democrat who was sworn into office in January, checked himself into Walter Reed on 16 February. At the time, his office announced that he would be undergoing treatment for depression.

The ex-Pennsylvania lieutenant governor had been briefly hospitalised the previous week for light-headedness, but doctors at the time ruled out any stroke of the type that sidelined him for much of his 2022 campaign for Senate.

The stroke Mr Fetterman suffered last year has also contributed to what his staff describe as auditory processing issues that have necessitated the use of a closed captioning device at his desk and in Senate committee hearings.

His communications director, Joe Calvello, said in a statement on Monday that his staff did not “have a lot to update folks with since there’s no real news to report” about the senator’s condition.

Mr Calvello said the senator is “working with the wonderful doctors, and remains on a path to recovery”.

“He is visiting with staff and family daily, and his staff are keeping him updated on Senate business and news. Our team is moving full speed ahead and working tirelessly for the people of Pennsylvania,” he continued, adding later that the senator had opened a new office in Erie, Pennsylvania and is planning to open more district offices “in the coming weeks”.

He also said Mr Fetterman would remain in hospital for the time being because the treatment process will be “weeks-long” and stressed that the senator’s office would “be sure to keep folks updated as it progresses”.