Key facts
- Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for over three weeks with undisclosed health issues.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator John Barrasso have spoken with McConnell.
- McConnell is reportedly engaged and eager to return to the Senate.
- McConnell has a history of health issues, including a concussion and a wrist sprain in recent years.
- McConnell, 84, is retiring at the end of his term in January.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized for undisclosed health issues, more than three weeks after his admission on June 14. Aides have provided limited information about his condition, leading to speculation about his prognosis and ability to return to the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke with McConnell by phone on Monday, describing their conversation as "lengthy and substantive." Senator John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, also had a 20-minute conversation with McConnell on Tuesday, discussing Senate races and the Supreme Court. Barrasso's spokeswoman stated McConnell was "fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate."
Republican strategist Scott Jennings reported speaking with McConnell for 20 minutes on Tuesday, noting they discussed politics, foreign policy, and Senate history. Jennings confirmed McConnell is still recovering in the hospital.
McConnell's office has released statements indicating he is improving and working on Senate matters while the chamber is in recess. He has a history of health troubles, including a concussion in March 2023 that caused him to miss several weeks of work, and a wrist sprain a year later. McConnell, 84, was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and served as Republican leader from 2007 until last year. He is retiring at the end of his term in January.