Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said Wednesday that he believes both the right and the left sides of the political spectrum hope he dies.
He made the remark during an interview with The New York Times published on Wednesday.
“What I have found out over the last couple years is that the Right, and now the Left, are hoping that I die,” Fetterman told the Times.
In May of last year during his campaign, Fetterman endured a massive stroke that nearly killed him.
“There are ones that are rooting for another blood clot. They have both now been wishing that I die,” the senator added.
Fetterman did not cite any examples to support his characterization.
However, Republicans have previously questioned whether Fetterman is healthy enough for office.
The 53-year-old, 6-foot, 8-inch senator known for his casual outfits around the Senate chamber and occasional word salads has experienced a slew of health problems since announcing his run for Senate.
The most serious one was the stroke, but his recovery has not been completely smooth. Once he took office, Fetterman reportedly struggled to adapt to the demands of his Senate duties as he recovered.
In early February, Fetterman was hospitalized for two days after feeling lightheaded while attending a day-long retreat for Senate Democrats. Doctors ran tests to confirm he was not having another stroke and monitored him for seizures, the senator’s team said at the time.
Later in February, Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for clinical depression and was treated there for six weeks.
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Fetterman also has auditory processing issues and has used live audio-to-text transcription technology for committee hearings and previously for campaign debates.
In February, the Washington County Republican Party near Pittsburgh called on Fetterman to appear on camera to “show us he is alive and well, and if he is unable to do so,” they would call on Pennsylvania’s other representatives in D.C. to “intervene immediately.”
Lately, however, his health has improved somewhat, and he has been more active, including on several issues that have angered many leftists.
Fetterman has signaled his support for Israel, prompting protests by activists who demanded he support a cease-fire and shut down the streets outside his district offices.
He has spoken out about the southern U.S. border, saying, “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have a secured border.”
“I’m not a progressive,” Fetterman told NBC News last week. “I just think I’m a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel, I’m going to be on the right side of that. And immigration is something near and dear to me, and I think we do have to effectively address it as well.”