WASHINGTON — Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell continues to recover in a hospital more than three weeks after being admitted for health issues that his staff has declined to identify, even as the Senate’s top two Republicans have each spoken with him individually by phone, according to aides.
The lack of any detailed information from McConnell’s team has fueled growing speculation about his condition and whether the 84-year-old senator will be well enough to return to Capitol Hill when the Senate comes back from a two-week recess next week. McConnell is set to retire at the end of his current term in January.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., confirmed that Thune spoke with McConnell by phone on Monday. The two had what was described as a “lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security.” As majority leader, Thune regularly tracks the health and availability of members of his conference as he manages vote counts within his narrow 53-47 majority.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who holds the No. 2 position among Senate Republicans, also had a conversation with McConnell on Tuesday that lasted approximately 20 minutes, according to a spokeswoman. Their discussion touched on upcoming Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court, and other subjects.
Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes said, “Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”
Republican strategist Scott Jennings, a McConnell ally, also shared on X that he spoke with McConnell for about 20 minutes on Tuesday, writing that “he’s still recovering in the hospital.” Jennings said the conversation ranged from politics and foreign policy to “even a little bit of Senate history.”
McConnell’s office confirmed he was admitted to the hospital on June 14, stating only that he was “receiving excellent care.” A follow-up statement about a week later indicated he would not be casting votes that week. A more recent statement said McConnell “appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.”
“The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” that statement read. A spokesman repeated the same statement again on Tuesday, offering no new details.
This latest hospitalization is not McConnell’s first in recent years. In March 2023, while still serving as Republican leader, he suffered a concussion after falling at a Washington hotel and was away from work for several weeks. After returning, he twice appeared to freeze during news conferences, staring blankly ahead before colleagues and staff — including Barrasso, who is a physician — stepped in to help him.
The following year, McConnell fell and sprained his wrist while leaving a Republican luncheon. He also fell at his Kentucky home in 2019 and required surgery for a fractured shoulder.
McConnell has had physical challenges dating back to childhood, when he contracted polio. He has long acknowledged difficulty walking and climbing stairs as an adult. In recent months, he has frequently used a wheelchair to get around the Capitol.
First elected to the Senate in 1984, McConnell served as Republican leader from 2007 until last year, holding both the majority and minority leader roles during that span. He has continued showing up for Senate sessions as a rank-and-file member since stepping down from leadership.
