Among the entities that have hammered Fetterman: Drop Site News, which has hit the senator multiple times, especially over foreign policy and immigration.
In January 2025, the outlet accused Fetterman, "whose wife was famously undocumented," of "pushing to deport people like her," with his support of the GOP-backed Laken Riley Act.
"The Democratic capitulation accelerated on Wednesday morning when freshman Sen. Ruben Gallego, from the border state of Arizona, announced on X that he would join Democrat John Fetterman as a co-sponsor. Fetterman, famously, has celebrated the fact that his wife came to the country as an undocumented immigrant," the site wrote at the time.
"Fetterman’s support broke a promise he made to the immigrant rights community, namely that during his first two years in the Senate he would avoid supporting legislation that harms Dreamers, beneficiaries of what’s known as DACA," the report added.
The criticism from Drop Site predates this week's confrontation — last month, reporter Julian Andreone caught up with Fetterman in the hallway to press him on the Iran war, and whether he'd vote "no" on the War Powers Resolution.
"How exactly would strikes on Iran benefit the American people, like on the ground? In Pennsylvania for example?" Andreone asked in a clip shared on social media.
As Fetterman insisted, "it absolutely does," and makes the Middle East safer, Andreone refused to let him off the hook.
"But in Pennsylvania?" he inquired. "How so? Like how does it benefit them? Does it put more money in their pockets?"
"I'm voting it no," the senator replied.
Talking with reporters again this week, Fetterman apparently didn't forget the past confrontations. As a Drop Site News reporter started asking him a question, Fetterman cut her off.
"The president has indicated that his timeline for ending the war, he decided was kind of based on — " the reporter began.
But Fetterman wasn't having any of it.
"Oh, are you Drop Site?" he interjected.
"Yes," she replied.
Fetterman unloaded after confirming her employer.
"Yes? Ok. I celebrate all those Iranian leadership killed. I want you to run that, ok? You're part of this very anti group, so I absolutely celebrate that they keep wasting all those Iranian regime leaders. I'm not sure how you guys feel about that. But following me with the phone, it's just like, find a new way," the senator attacked.
Fetterman doubled down that he remains very supportive of [Operation] Epic Fury, and lashed out at what he called "gotcha" journalism.
"These weird gotcha in the hall things..." he trailed off.
As the reporter tried to ask another question, a Fetterman staffer jumped in and shut her down.
"He's answered your questions."
