Senator Mitch McConnell‘s office has provided an update on his health following the unexpected passing of fellow Senator Lindsey Graham.
In a written statement released by his office on Sunday, July 12, McConnell, 84, assured the public, “My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages.” He further clarified, “But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.”
Hospitalized since June 14, McConnell shared, “With signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.”
After being found unconscious at his home, McConnell was taken to a local hospital. According to his spokesperson, Stephanie Penn, he has been “working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery.”
Despite this, online conspiracy theories and demands for transparency have surfaced as McConnell has missed voting sessions.
Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist and ally of President Donald Trump, has been vocal about McConnell’s condition during his hospitalization. Loomer, a known conspiracy theorist, alleged that McConnell was brain dead, claiming to have received this information from a “high-level source close to the White House.”
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnel pushed in a wheelchair Getty Images
In a statement to Us Weekly on July 7, McConnell’s office expressed gratitude for the support he has received and countered the rumors of incapacitation. “The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
In his health update on Sunday, McConnell acknowledged his absence from the Senate floor.
His statement read, “You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you. And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do.”
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was admitted into the hospital after experiencing “flu-like symptoms” over the weekend. “In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation [on Monday, February 2],” a spokesperson for McConnell told Us Weekly on Wednesday, February 4. “His prognosis […]
McConnell’s health update follows the sudden death of Graham, who passed away at age 71 on Saturday, July 11. His office confirmed his death on Sunday, and authorities later stated that he died from aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
An aortic dissection, also known as an aorta rupture, can occur when arteries harden over time, according to the Mayo Clinic.
