Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed contact with hospitalized Sen. Mitch McConnell on Monday in a “lengthy and substantive conversation” that covered national security and other Senate business, according to Thune’s office. The call came as McConnell, 84, remained hospitalized after being admitted on June 14 for an undisclosed condition, raising questions about his health and ability to return to the chamber.
McConnell broke weeks of silence on July 12 with a detailed statement revealing that a fall led to his hospitalization. “I was briefly unconscious around the time I was first taken to the hospital,” he said, adding that he has undergone extensive testing and been treated for mild pneumonia.
“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,” McConnell said in the statement, which included a photo of him smiling with his wife, Elaine Chao. The senator has since been moved to a rehabilitation facility.
McConnell’s physician’s office attributed the fall to his post-polio condition, a lasting effect from polio he contracted in early childhood. “Senator McConnell has experienced several falls through the year” due to this condition, the office stated, noting that physical therapy is aimed at reducing future fall risk. The senator had previously acknowledged difficulty walking and climbing stairs as an adult.
The hospitalization created significant uncertainty about Senate operations. McConnell chairs the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, giving him a critical role in drafting defense spending packages requested by the Trump administration. His absence complicated the Appropriations Committee’s work, as the panel has a 15-14 Republican advantage over Democrats, meaning a missing Republican can block bills without Democratic support. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins postponed several markups before the July 4 recess because of McConnell’s absence.
Thune, who took over as Senate Majority Leader in January 2025 after McConnell stepped down from the role, has been managing the chamber in McConnell’s absence. McConnell’s statement made clear he is not yet ready to return. “I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet,” he wrote, though he said he continues to work with his staff on Senate business.
McConnell explained his four-week silence by noting that “folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older.” His disclosure came after mounting public pressure, including an extraordinary letter from Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear asking McConnell to update the public in a “transparent manner.”
The senator’s health struggles have intensified in recent years. He was hospitalized with a concussion in March 2023 after falling in a Washington hotel and missed several weeks of work. He twice froze up during public appearances after his return, staring ahead vacantly. A year later, he fell and sprained his wrist at a GOP luncheon. McConnell is retiring at the end of January and has said he remains determined to finish his term, with “unfinished business to complete.”
Sources
- The Hill — McConnell’s phone conversation with Thune on Monday and Thune’s statement that they had a “lengthy and substantive conversation” covering national security.
- PBS News — McConnell’s statement on July 12 revealing the fall, brief unconsciousness, mild pneumonia, and physician’s assessment of his post-polio condition and multiple falls this year.
- The Washington Post — McConnell’s hospitalization details, his statement breaking silence, and his explanation for the delayed disclosure.
- The Hill — Details on McConnell’s role in defense spending and the impact of his absence on the Appropriations Committee’s work.
