John Fetterman arrived at Capitol Hill for Donald Trump’s inauguration wearing athletic shorts and a hoodie, spurning both the freezing temperatures in D.C. and the event’s pageantry. Wearing casual clothes has become the Democratic senator’s signature—his penchant for oversized sweatshirts and sneakers has often created a stark contrast against the button-downs and dress shoes typical of Congress members. The Pennsylvanian made no exception for Inauguration Day, even though the weather was in the 20s and windy, pushing the ceremony indoors. The only time Fetterman is likely to be seen in formalwear is on the Senate floor. His attire became a flashpoint that eventually resulted in the Senate making its de facto dress code official in September 2023. Fetterman has downplayed the importance of what he wears, telling the Associated Press, “Aren’t there more important things we should be working on right now instead of, you know, that I might be dressing like a slob?” Fetterman made waves earlier this month for being the first sitting Democratic senator to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Trump was apparently impressed—he called Fetterman a “fascinating man” and a “commonsense person.”
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