Conservatives Outraged After John Fetterman Wears Shorts

Democrat John Fetterman's casual outfit during a press gathering Thursday is drawing the ire of conservatives.

The first-term senator from Pennsylvania who defeated Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in a close race last November returned to the chamber on March 31 following a two-month absence resulting from a severe bout of depression. He had checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 16.

After previously detailing his "downward spiral" following his election victory, Fetterman joined fellow Democrats in calling for President Joe Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment as part of debt ceiling negotiations and to avoid a government default.

He stood alongside Senators Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, and Peter Welch. While they donned suits and ties, Fetterman wore a white hoodie, gym shorts, and sneakers.

"President Biden needs to consider using the 14th Amendment if necessary," Fetterman told media members. "The entire GOP debt ceiling negotiation is a sad charade, and that's exactly what's wrong with Washington. We're playing with the livelihoods of millions just so the GOP can just turn the screws against hungry Americans."

Gisele Fetterman, the senator's wife, poked fun at her husband's attire in a tweet.

"The fashion sense is meh but that policy sense 🤌🏼🤌🏼," she wrote.

His appearance was criticized by conservatives on social media.

"John Fetterman redefined Casual Friday on a Thursday morning," tweeted Republican Representative Lauren Boebert. "It's truly unbecoming for someone to show up like that to any job, let alone a job that only 100 people are elected to do. There's just no excuse for it."

Charlie Kirk, the CEO of the conservative non-profit Turning Point, ridiculed Fetterman for his outfit and slurred speech, which has previously been a topic of discussion among liberals and conservatives.

Fetterman's health situation has been compared to fellow Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who as of April had missed 60 of 82 Senate votes due to being infected with shingles.

"Constitutional scholar, John Fetterman dressed up today to encourage Joe Biden to weaponize the 14th Amendment and usurp Congress's constitutional authority to determine federal spending as it relates to the debt ceiling," Kirk tweeted. "At least, I think that's what his aides wrote down for him."

"Mentally incompetent, sweatshirt and cargo shorts-wearing John Fetterman is a fraud on the American people," tweeted Monica Crowley, former assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury during the Trump administration.

Alana Mastrangelo of Breitbart News called Fetterman "incompetent" and "an absolute disgrace" in a tweet.

Earlier this year, the Missouri House of Representatives revised its dress code for women. As a result of the bill's passage in that chamber, female legislators and staffers must cover their arms with jackets, like a cardigan or blazer.

The legislation, introduced by a female Republican, updated the dress code from 2021 to state that "jackets [must be] worn with dresses, skirts, or slacks, and dress shoes or boots."

In March 2021, attempts by freshmen Rhode Island senators to relax the dress code forcing legislators to wear "blouses, dress slacks and collared shirts with accompanying jacket" failed.