Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday said he is still recovering at a rehabilitation facility from a June medical episode, according to another health update from his office. 
In the statement, the Republican said he&#8217;s still undergoing treatment and won&#8217;t be attending local events this weekend. 
“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday,” he said,<a href="https://www.wlky.com/article/sen-mitch-mcconnell-written-statement-photo-july-27/73274265"> according to local outlet WLKY.</a> “As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon.”
The health update included a fresh photo with his wife, Elaine Chao, and also provided a statement from McConnell’s physician. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
McConnell’s office releases a new photo plus a statement saying he is undergoing “intense physical therapy” and not ready to get back to work in person. No timeline for his return to the Senate. He has not been seen in the Capitol since his June 14 hospitalization. <a href="https://t.co/G9h99SboZA">pic.twitter.com/G9h99SboZA</a>
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) <a href="https://x.com/sahilkapur/status/2081767125555757332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Senator McConnell continues his recovery from a fall at home in June. OAP physicians visit with the Senator every day, discussing all aspects of his rehabilitation care,” the Office of the Attending Physician said. “Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls.”
&#8220;His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office,” the OAP added. 
The 84-year-old’s extended hospitalization has fueled mounting questions about both his health and what would happen if Kentucky’s longest-serving senator were unable to complete his final term. He has remained hospitalized <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senator-mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=84-Year-Old+Mitch+McConnell+Hospitalized+After+%E2%80%98Unknown+Medical+Incident%E2%80%99">since June 14</a>, when emergency responders were dispatched to his Washington residence following what was widely reported as an emergency radio traffic describing a cardiac arrest requiring CPR. 
The lack of information sparked widespread speculation online. Still, it has also drawn renewed attention to an unusual wrinkle in Kentucky election law that could become significant if McConnell were to resign or otherwise vacate his seat before his term expires in January 2027. With a Democrat occupying the governor’s office, Republican lawmakers<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-legislature-senate-vacancies-faf6f1f41fa42c3e0b818fc3fb3d4d4a"> recently moved</a> to eliminate the governor’s appointment authority in favor of a special election process.
McConnell, who is not running for another term, has missed <a href="https://www.wlky.com/article/sen-mitch-mcconnell-written-statement-photo-july-27/73274265">38 Senate votes</a> since the medical incident.

Mitch McConnell

McConnell’s Office Shares New Photo And Update On The Senator

Health

Kentucky

News

Politics

Republicans

U.S. Senate

It looks like we finally found something we can all agree on. Mitch McConnell’s time in politics has come to a close. Tragically, he is not fit to serve out the remainder of his term.
I’m not going to play the fool’s game of “but he’s only x years older than this or that competent politician.” Henry Kissinger and Thomas Sowell remained sharp well into their 90s. Most people do not. You don’t judge a person’s mental competency solely based on how many years they’ve been alive. You judge based on what you can see.
Everyone seems to understand that the empirical evidence reflects McConnell’s profound mental and physical decline.
But I wonder, where was all this agreement four years ago when Joe Biden, a veritable corpse, was running the entire country?
Behind closed doors, the president was reciting Shakespeare while juggling with his eyebrows. It was only when all the cameras showed up that he turned into a gaffe machine who couldn’t read a teleprompter. That&#8217;s a mean case of stage fright for a politician who&#8217;s been in the game for 53 years.
And, of course, our skeptical media bought that, no questions asked.
Alex Thompson, a White House correspondent for Politico during the Biden administration, recently co-authored a <a href="https://sites.prh.com/originalsin/">book</a> detailing the cover-up of Biden’s mental decline. Conveniently, this book comes long after the decline was obvious, and Biden is no longer running for office.
Thompson has <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-20/jake-tapper-defends-original-sin-biden-cover-up-media-role">insisted</a> that the media was simply “lied to” about the president&#8217;s mental state. News flash: if I can see the decline on my television, it shouldn’t take you five years to figure it out when it’s quite literally your entire job to track his affairs.
What kind of media waits for the White House&#8217;s permission before holding it accountable? But don&#8217;t worry, they’re here now to bravely stand for the truth. As usual, they&#8217;re a day late and a dollar short.
And then there was a cadre of Biden&#8217;s fellow Democrats. In a debate with Ron DeSantis, California Governor Gavin Newsom (one of the top Democratic contenders for president in 2028) insisted that the president was perfectly sharp and on top of everything.
Would — or should — an aspiring president take at face value that “behind closed doors,” Chinese President Xi Jinping has no plans to invade Taiwan, he’s simply looking to grab a beer with Lai Ching-te? And if not, which means he was lying, why should the American people place their trust in a man who lies through his teeth about something as consequential as the mental state of their own president?
So which is it? Is he too foolish to be president or too dishonest? Of course, nobody is asking this question. It’s much more interesting to keep beating the dead horse that is McConnell’s competency.
This is not a matter of respect for the statesman that Joe Biden used to be. The squirrely nature of that characterization aside, respect does not demand dishonesty.
Mitch McConnell was perhaps the most effective legislator of my lifetime. He played an instrumental role in seating a Republican majority on the court. He forced significant concessions from the Democratic majority during the Obama administration (including dropping the socialized insurance option) and blocked progressive climate legislation.
He guided the clown show that is the congressional Republicans into confirming three conservative Supreme Court Justices and 54 appeals court justices in a single presidential term, orchestrated the passage of 2017 tax reform, and spearheaded one of the only unanimous consequential legislative packages in modern history.
His legacy is unmatched.
Such is my tribute to his tremendous influence and my respect for the great man. But he&#8217;s too old to be in office. To pretend otherwise would not be an act of respect towards him, but an act of disrespect towards his constituency.
When I last saw Senator McConnell, he required the assistance of several men simply to move in and out of the chamber. He never spoke a word despite being addressed directly by several other Senators. This was shortly before his recent hospitalization.
But McConnell is taking hits left and right from the media. And therein lies the distinction: left and right. The conservative press never tried to run interference for the man, and they certainly never tried to invalidate legitimate depictions of his decline.
In 2023, MS NOW published an <a href="https://www.ms.now/opinion/msnbc-opinion/mitch-mcconnell-second-freeze-kentucky-rcna102599">op-ed</a> insisting that McConnell was unfit to serve and that he step down immediately. They were <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/08/mitch-mcconnell-needs-to-step-aside">joined in their concerns</a> by the National Review, one of the most prominent outlets on the American right, which called for McConnell to step down from leadership positions. 
Only when Biden decided to shoot himself in the foot on live television in front of the entire country did it start to become apparent that he was a lost cause, and the media started to turn on him. After years of lying to the American people, it was no longer taboo for Thompson to publish his book.
As members of the press, our first responsibility is to the American public. A press that shirks that responsibility for political gain disgraces the very people it’s meant to serve.

Why Isn’t The Press Running Interference For Mitch McConnell?

DW Opinion

Joe Biden

Media Bias

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shared a photo from his hospital bed — and delivered a long-awaited explanation regarding his twenty-eight day absence from the Senate: pneumonia. 
Despite spending the last month in the hospital — after being admitted on June 14 — the former Senate Majority Leader said that he plans to return to the Senate to complete his term. “I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do,” he said. 
McConnell added that he has been working closely with his legislative staff from the hospital — who have been briefing him as often as it is warranted — so that he can keep abreast of the most current issues before the Senate.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MCCONNELL releases a photo &#8211; and statement.
“To my fellow Kentuckians –
“When you elected me to a seventh term and made me our Commonwealth’s longest serving Senator, you did so trusting that I’d keep showing up to fight for you every day. And over the past several weeks,… <a href="https://t.co/YTzTXDhEgu">pic.twitter.com/YTzTXDhEgu</a>
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) <a href="https://x.com/JakeSherman/status/2076417700407173481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
McConnell also shared that he has been in close contact with a number of his colleagues in the Senate — but the longer he remained out of sight, the more rumors began to swirl suggesting that something far worse might have happened to him. 
After several colleagues attempted to quash the rumors by issuing statements detailing their conversations with McConnell, a joke quickly emerged: people would claim to have spoken to McConnell, and then detail outlandish things that they said transpired during their discussions.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), wrote last week, “I spoke to McConnell for about 20 minutes this morning. He said we should end the war with Iran, quit giving aid to Israel, stop spying on Americans without a warrant, and he’s really sorry about how my primary turned out.” 
But McConnell&#8217;s own recent statements contradict Massie&#8217;s claims: the Kentucky senator told the American people in April that he was fully supportive of President Donald Trump&#8217;s military actions in Iran. “They&#8217;ve been at war with us for 47 years. They&#8217;ve killed Americans, they&#8217;ve killed Israelis, they&#8217;ve killed throughout the region, our Sunni Muslim allies &#8230; they are bad guys,” he said. 
Despite McConnell’s stated eagerness to get back to work, he says his doctors told him it will take time. “As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet.” McConnell revealed he’s recovering from an initial fall that left him &#8220;briefly unconscious.” During his hospital stay, he contracted “a mild case of pneumonia.” McConnell gave an overall status update on his health saying he hadn’t broken any bones, suffered a stroke or heart attack, and did not have any tumors or hemorrhages. 
McConnell’s wife, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, was pictured next to him with his hand behind his back smiling. Chao had been in China just days prior where she issued an update on her husband’s health. She had said his condition did not require her to return from China early. Calls reportedly from dispatchers and Emergency services were released from the day of his hospitalization where dispatchers <a href="https://www.wlky.com/article/elaine-chao-mitch-mcconnell-health-statement/71858467">mentioned </a>“cardiac arrest” and “CPR.”

Screenshot 2026-07-12 at 7.46.55 PM

After 28 Days Of Silence, Mitch McConnell Offers Proof Of Life From Hospital

Media

Senate

CNN ran with a quote from a parody account during a segment about Republicans who say they have spoken with ailing former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) during his recent hospitalization.
Host Audie Cornish introduced the segment, which came as speculation continues to swirl about McConnell&#8217;s health. Cornish noted that several prominent Republicans had spoken up in recent days to say that McConnell was still recovering but doing well.
&#8220;You have a lot of Senate Republicans coming out, we&#8217;re going to show some onscreen, all saying, &#8216;I talked to him,&#8217; &#8216;I talked to him,&#8217; &#8216;I talked to him for 20 minutes,&#8217; &#8216;I talked to him for 45 minutes,'&#8221; she said. &#8220;We&#8217;re hearing these pundits talk not just about his potential health, but what they think the issue is: a special election deadline.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
OOPS: CNN This Morning cites parody account of fake congressman <a href="https://x.com/RepJackKimble?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJackKimble</a> on list of quotes about Sen. Mitch McConnell&#8217;s health. <a href="https://t.co/GBXJ37bkoe">pic.twitter.com/GBXJ37bkoe</a>
— Nick (@nspin310) <a href="https://x.com/nspin310/status/2074860431240298947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But as Cornish spoke, the posts on the screen were from former McConnell adviser and CNN commentator Scott Jennings, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Majority Whip John Barrasso. A fourth post, attributed to &#8220;Rep. Jack Kimble,&#8221; was found to be a parody account.
The quote that appeared on the screen read, &#8220;I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 45 minutes.&#8221;
But the full quote posted by the parody account took the joke a bit further: &#8220;I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 45 minutes. He&#8217;s so sharp. Just like always he let me do all of the talking. He&#8217;s a great listener. After that we prayed silently for awhile and had a staring contest. Just like always, he beat me. I told him we want to see him back at work as soon as possible.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 45 minutes. He&#8217;s so sharp. Just like always he let me do all of the talking. He&#8217;s a great listener. After that we prayed…
— Rep. Jack Kimble (@RepJackKimble) <a href="https://x.com/RepJackKimble/status/2074570956467577094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Other posts from Kimble&#8217;s account might have given it away as a parody as well.
July 6: &#8220;Donald Trump had no choice but to get Balogun reinstated. He’s a birthright citizen and The Supreme Court just ruled we can’t take away their citizenship or give them red cards. Blame the liberal judges.&#8221;
June 30: &#8220;The Supreme Court is just a regular court with sour cream.&#8221;
Kimble&#8217;s X bio should also have given CNN a clue, as it claims that he represents California&#8217;s 54th Congressional District. The state of California only has 52 Congressional Districts.

CNN World Headquarters

CNN Cites Fake Congressman’s Account Of Conversation With McConnell

CNN Cites Fake Congressman's Account Of Conversation With McConnell

Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell&#8217;s (R-KY) wife Elaine Chao released a statement acknowledging her decision to remain in China despite her husband&#8217;s lengthy hospitalization.
After weeks of public speculation about McConnell&#8217;s condition — and even some rumors that he was not expected to recover — a spokesperson for Chao said she did not believe the senator&#8217;s health was considered serious enough to require cutting her planned trip short.
&#8220;The secretary was on a long-planned trip in China to support her family&#8217;s philanthropic endeavors. During the trip, she met with a number of people, including the U.S. ambassador. The senator&#8217;s health did not warrant an immediate return to the US,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.wlky.com/article/elaine-chao-mitch-mcconnell-health-statement/71858467?fbclid=IwY2xjawS6XxxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFiR09rYlJIRlozV1lEWG10c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmqXHN1RvqPWm5GcAUKVkyU7NtTKYD_m1LlbAUC6G9RaZBwk-viy1fLmpXws_aem_TVpgFeulR4GNuDSq2V1PfQ">spokesperson</a> told CBS News affiliate WLKY.
The former Commerce Secretary left the country on June 12, just two days before the news broke that the Kentucky senator had been hospitalized. In the weeks since, Chao completed her travels and returned to the United States — and very little has been heard from Sen. McConnell or his office.
The silence surrounding McConnell led to speculation — both in traditional media and across social media platforms — that the longest-serving Senate Majority Leader could even be on life support.
On July 2, nearly three weeks after McConnell was first hospitalized, his office released a statement to WLKY: &#8220;Senator 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.&#8221;
In the days that followed, several Republican allies said that they had spoken to the aging senator. CNN commentator and radio host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-republicans-speak-with-hospitalized-mcconnell-to-shut-down-rumors">Scott Jennings</a>, who previously worked as an advisor to McConnell, was among them.
&#8220;I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 20 minutes … about IRAN, UKRAINE, the unfolding situation in MAINE, my visit to the TR Presidential Library, and even a little bit of Senate history. I told him we want to see him back at work as soon as possible,&#8221; he said.

Donald Trump Announces Air Traffic Control Reform Initiative At White House

Mitch McConnell’s Wife Breaks Silence Amid Mysterious Health Saga

Mitch McConnell's Wife Breaks Silence Amid Mysterious Health Saga

Communist China

Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) extended hospitalization has fueled mounting questions about both his health and what would happen if Kentucky&#8217;s longest-serving senator were unable to complete his final term.
The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has remained hospitalized <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senator-mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=84-Year-Old+Mitch+McConnell+Hospitalized+After+%E2%80%98Unknown+Medical+Incident%E2%80%99">since June 14</a>, when emergency responders were dispatched to his Washington residence following what widely reported emergency radio traffic described as a cardiac arrest requiring CPR. McConnell&#8217;s office has released only brief statements since then, declining to disclose the nature of his condition or his prognosis.
The lack of information has sparked widespread speculation online, but it has also drawn renewed attention to an unusual wrinkle in Kentucky election law that could become significant if McConnell were to resign or otherwise vacate his seat before his term expires in January 2027.
McConnell&#8217;s office attempted to tamp down speculation last week, issuing another short <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/02/congress/mcconnell-remains-hospitalized-00986648">statement</a>. 
&#8220;Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he&#8217;s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,&#8221; his office said. &#8220;The Senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.&#8221;
Beyond that statement, his office has declined to provide additional details regarding his medical condition. The limited disclosures have become increasingly notable as conservative commentators and online activists speculate about the senator&#8217;s status, with some questioning whether his office is withholding information until a key election-law deadline passes.
Much of that speculation centers on changes Kentucky lawmakers made last year to the state&#8217;s Senate vacancy process.
In 2024, Kentucky enacted House Bill 622, repealing the state&#8217;s previous law allowing the governor to appoint an interim U.S. senator and replacing it with a special-election process. Under the revised statute, if a Senate vacancy occurs before a term expires, the governor must issue a proclamation calling a special election to fill the remainder of that term.
Unlike many states, Kentucky no longer provides for an interim gubernatorial appointment under the statute.
However, adding another layer of complexity, Kentucky law does not require a separate special election if a vacancy occurs within three months of a regularly scheduled general election. This year&#8217;s three-month cutoff falls on August 3.
Legal experts caution, however, that Kentucky&#8217;s revised succession law has never been tested in court. Josh Douglass, associate dean for research at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, told <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/mitch-mcconnell-health-questions-raise-kentucky-senate-succession-issues-12159137">Newsweek</a> that the legislation could face constitutional questions because Section 152 of the Kentucky Constitution grants the governor appointment authority over statewide vacancies, while the Seventeenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows — but does not require — states to authorize temporary gubernatorial appointments before an election.
If challenged, courts would have to determine whether Kentucky&#8217;s revised statute is consistent with both the state and U.S. constitutions, all in a very short timeframe.
Complicating matters further, the statute provides detailed procedures for calling special elections but does not explicitly address how a vacancy would be handled when the same Senate seat is already scheduled to appear on the general-election ballot only months later. The uncertainty comes as Kentucky is already preparing to elect McConnell&#8217;s successor. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who secured President Donald Trump&#8217;s endorsement and won the GOP primary, will face Democratic nominee Charles Booker in the general election for the seat. Barr enters the race as the clear favorite in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1992.
While questions surrounding Kentucky&#8217;s election law have attracted increasing attention, another aspect of McConnell&#8217;s hospitalization has generated its own round of speculation. Three days after McConnell was hospitalized, his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, traveled to Beijing as part of what her office described as a previously scheduled philanthropic trip connected to her family&#8217;s charitable work.
Chinese state media <a href="https://en.people.cn/n3/2026/0618/c90000-20468740.html">published photographs</a> showing Chao meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who encouraged continued efforts to strengthen relations between Beijing and Washington.
The timing of the trip prompted even more speculation because of the limited public information surrounding McConnell&#8217;s condition. Chao&#8217;s <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/what-we-know-about-mitch-mcconnell-health-12165797">spokesperson rejected</a> suggestions that the travel reflected anything unusual. &#8220;The secretary was on a long-planned trip in China to support her family&#8217;s philanthropic endeavors,&#8221; the spokesperson said. &#8220;During the trip, she met with a number of people, including the U.S. ambassador. The Senator&#8217;s health did not warrant an immediate return to the U.S.&#8221;
For now, McConnell remains a sitting senator, and there has been no public indication that he intends to resign. But with his office continuing to release only brief updates, his prolonged hospitalization has placed renewed attention on Kentucky&#8217;s untested Senate succession law — and the unusual legal questions that could arise if his status were to change before voters elect his successor in November.

Rumors Swirl As Mitch McConnell Hospitalization Enters Fourth Week

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was hospitalized Sunday following an unknown medical incident, according to a spokesman.
“Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care,” David Popp, spokesperson for the senator, said in a statement, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/14/mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized-00961801">according to Politico</a>. 
The 84-year-old senator is a polio survivor and has, at times, had balance issues and sometimes needs to use rails to assist him in walking. In February 2025, the longtime Senate Majority Leader announced he would not seek reelection after a series of concerning medical setbacks.  
In 2023, he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-minority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-hospitalized-after-incident-at-dinner">rushed to the hospital</a> after he tripped and fell during dinner.
A couple of months later, the Kentucky Republican <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-freezes-up-during-press-conference-trolls-biden-after-returning">went viral</a> for all the wrong reasons, freezing up in a concerning medical episode while speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Odd moment: McConnell freezes at start of Senate GOP leadership press conference and is escorted to the side by his colleagues <a href="https://t.co/hT5bLnstOS">pic.twitter.com/hT5bLnstOS</a>
— Raquel Martin (@RaquelMartinTV) <a href="https://x.com/RaquelMartinTV/status/1684263785542844433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
“Good afternoon, everyone. We’re on a path to finishing the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) this week, there’s been good bipartisan cooperation and a string of …” McConnell said, before going silent for about 20 seconds before some of his colleagues intervened to check on him.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who is a physician, grabbed onto McConnell’s arm and asked, “You okay, Mitch?”
“Is there anything else you want to say or should we just go back to your office?” Barrasso asked. “Do you want to say anything else to the press?”
Barrasso and McConnell then stepped away for a brief period of time before returning.
 Sen. John Thune (R-SD) took over the press conference and addressed the media.
An aide for McConnell at the time <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-freezes-up-press-conference-later-says-im-fine">said</a> that the senator “felt light-headed and stepped away for a moment. He came back to handle Q and A, which, as everyone observed, was sharp.”
Back in 2019, McConnell also suffered a fractured shoulder after he tripped and fell at his home in Kentucky.
With few details available about the cause of his hospitalization or his condition, colleagues on Capitol Hill offered their well-wishes.
“Join me in lifting Senator McConnell in prayer for a swift recovery. Grateful to hear he is receiving excellent care from his medical team, and we look forward to seeing him in the Senate halls soon,” Senator Tim Scott said.

84-Year-Old Mitch McConnell Hospitalized After ‘Unknown Medical Incident’

A growing rift inside the Republican Party burst into public view this week as President Donald Trump and several House Republicans openly blasted Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) over the stalled SAVE America Act, accusing the longtime Kentucky lawmaker of standing in the way of legislation they argue is critical to securing federal elections.
What might once have played out behind closed doors is now unfolding in plain sight — with Trump mocking McConnell online and GOP lawmakers questioning both his motives and his leadership as the bill sits idle in the Senate.
One of the most pointed comments came from Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), who on SiriusXM blasted McConnell directly, saying “he hates Donald Trump” and argued the Kentucky senator “should be in a nursing home” rather than blocking the bill. Norman said McConnell is “beholden to the special interests” and insisted the GOP needs new leadership and term limits.
Norman’s remarks were shared on <a href="https://x.com/WilkowMajority/status/2027161540432969925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2027161540432969925%7Ctwgr%5E3383e92a7556d2a8fb97a3079c218e9523329448%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Famericanwirenews.com%2Fhouse-republican-blasts-mcconnell-over-save-act-he-should-be-in-a-nursing-home%2F">X</a>, calling out McConnell by name and questioning his effectiveness in the Senate, a rare and unusually blunt rebuke from a Republican colleague.
That sentiment reflects wider frustration among Trump-aligned Republicans over the SAVE Act’s slow progress in the chamber. While President Donald Trump used his 2026 State of the Union to call for Senate passage of the bill — urging lawmakers to “approve the SAVE America Act” as part of his agenda to require voter ID and proof of citizenship — the Senate has yet to bring it up for a vote.
Trump escalated the pressure on social media, <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2028109709824139442">posting</a> a clip from &#8220;Weekend at Bernie’s&#8221; and captioning it: “Mitch McConnell arriving to block the SAVE Act in a last-ditch attempt to save his name.” The jab underscored growing frustration among conservatives who see the bill as a must-pass election integrity measure with overwhelming grassroots support.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) suggested McConnell’s opposition may be personal, saying on <a href="https://x.com/timburchett/status/2024875245966958916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2024875245966958916%7Ctwgr%5E77f261b58e40fcfc14a750af0055b2b809e4fae9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewrepublic.com%2Fpost%2F206864%2Fmcconnell-trump-election-overhaul-bill-save-america-act">X</a> he believes it is “partially just out of meanness,” adding that “he doesn’t like Trump.” Burchett went further, questioning who is truly making decisions in McConnell’s office: “Is it him or a staff member? Because, as you know, he’s a lot like Joe Biden in his last days in office.”
Other Republicans have pressed Senate leadership to move the bill forward, arguing that requiring proof of citizenship is common sense and widely supported by voters. Trump has repeatedly urged the Senate to act, framing the measure as essential to election security.
Representative Andy Barr (R-KY), who will be running for McConnell’s seat after he retires, sent the senator a <a href="https://barr.house.gov/2026/2/barr-backs-voter-id-mandate-calls-on-mcconnell-to-advance-save-america-act">letter</a> last month. The letter strongly urged McConnell, “as Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, to expeditiously move the America Act through the Senate and to the President’s Desk.” He added, “This marks the second time that the U.S. House of Representatives has acted to advance common sense voter identification and proof of citizenship requirements to strengthen the integrity of our federal elections.”
For his part, McConnell and his team have not claimed responsibility for the stall. A spokesperson for the Kentucky senator <a href="https://www.kentucky.com/news/article314828972.html">wrote</a> in a statement, “Senator McConnell has not, at any point in time, prevented a floor vote on any version of the SAVE Act. The most recent version of the bill that passed the House was not referred to any committees and is currently awaiting Senate floor consideration. Senator McConnell has no role in or power to control floor consideration of this bill.”
McConnell has not publicly embraced the legislation and has resisted procedural efforts to fast-track it, fueling criticism from within his own party as tensions between Trump-aligned Republicans and the Senate’s Republican leadership once again spill into public view.
Senate Republican leadership has tried to take the scrutiny from McConnell. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), in a statement to the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/4473765/senate-gop-warns-house-save-act-agitators-do-not-tell-us-what-to-do/">Washington Examiner</a>, said, “House members are going to say what they’re going to say. They aren’t going to tell us how we’re going to run the Senate.” Another Senate leader said the Senate was “going to do what we’re going to do,” regardless of outside commentary.
Thune also <a href="https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/2/thune-joins-america-s-newsroom-on-fox-news">addressed</a> the SAVE America Act directly in an interview with Fox, saying the chamber plans to put Democrats “on the record,” but is focused first on broader issues like reopening the government, and that a floor vote will come “in due time.”
With McConnell nearing retirement and allies jockeying to replace him, the fight carries added political weight, especially in Kentucky. As House Republicans and Trump continue to escalate public pressure, Senate leadership insists the chamber will move on its own timetable. But for many in the GOP base, the optics are clear: a bill framed as “common sense” election security is stalled, and McConnell’s critics are making sure voters know exactly who they believe is responsible.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)

Trump, Fellow Republicans Take Shots At Mitch McConnell Over SAVE Act Stall

Congress

Donald Trump

Elections

John Thune

House Republicans are urging their Senate colleagues to quickly pass election integrity legislation that has been idling in the Upper Chamber for nearly a year.
In a letter exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, Texas Congressman Brandon Gill and 34 of his colleagues press Senate Rules and Administration Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to schedule a markup of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and advance it to the Senate floor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
&#8220;American elections should be fair and free, not subject to foreign influence. Illegal aliens have no right to be in America, and they certainly shouldn’t be voting,” said Rep. Gill about the letter. “House Republicans are united behind the SAVE act. I urge my Senate colleagues to pass this legislation and get it to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”
The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require documentary proof of American citizenship, such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers, when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish processes to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls and authorizes penalties for election officials who fail to comply.
Supporters argue the legislation addresses a documented vulnerability in the current system. Republican officials note that states, including Texas and Ohio, have identified thousands of noncitizens on voter rolls, and contend that existing law makes it difficult to require proof of citizenship at the point of registration. The SAVE Act, they argue, would close those gaps and ensure that only United States citizens participate in federal elections.
The letter highlights growing frustration among House Republicans over the Senate’s inaction on the bill, which passed the House on April 10, 2025, by a 220–208 vote.
&#8220;The House did our job nearly 300 days ago. The Senate needs to do theirs,&#8221; said Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-Texas), who signed the letter along with many of his fellow committee members. &#8220;The Senate needs to stop stalling &#8230; and get it to the floor. Representative Gill&#8217;s letter is exactly the pressure we need to get this to President Trump&#8217;s desk.&#8221;
Lawmakers argue that further delay risks leaving election integrity reforms unresolved as the midterms approach, and McConnell’s position as committee chairman gives him the authority to move the legislation forward.
The push comes as Republicans continue to elevate election security as a central policy priority. In late January 2026, Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the SAVE America Act, an expanded proposal that builds on the original SAVE Act by adding nationwide photo identification requirements for federal elections.
The Senate version of the SAVE Act has drawn significant Republican support, with 48 GOP senators listed as cosponsors. Still, the legislation would likely require 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the narrowly divided Senate, making some level of bipartisan backing necessary.
The letter also points to public support for citizenship requirements, including an October 2024 Gallup poll that found 83% of Americans support requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote, including a majority of registered Democrats.
“If you can’t prove your citizenship, you shouldn’t be able to vote. Anyone opposed to the SAVE Act wants to benefit from fraud, which undermines election security and gives illegal immigrants more power than law-abiding Americans,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), one of the letter&#8217;s cosignatories. “I’m calling on the Senate to advance this bill quickly so we can strengthen and secure our elections.”
If enacted before the 2026 midterms, proponents say the SAVE Act would significantly strengthen voter registration standards nationwide while restoring public confidence in the electoral process. Critics and election administrators, however, have raised concerns about implementation timelines and administrative burdens absent additional federal support.
As the midterm elections draw closer, House Republicans are signaling impatience with Senate inaction and pressing leadership to move, as one cosigner said, &#8220;Republicans were sent to Washington to fix a broken system, not to make excuses.” Whether McConnell takes up the bill may determine not only the fate of the SAVE Act, but how central election integrity becomes in the next national campaign cycle.

Sen. Mitch McConnell

House Republicans Push Senate To Pass Voter Integrity Bill Before The Midterms

Brandon Gill

Election Fraud

Voter ID

Tech entrepreneur and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is backing businessman Nate Morris in the contested Republican race to replace Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, The Daily Wire has learned. 
Ramaswamy told The Daily Wire he believed that Morris would be a key ally for President Donald Trump in the Senate. Morris, the founder of waste management company Rubicon, previously <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240725415339/en/Morris-Industries-Invests-in-Series-B-Round-of-Strive-Enterprises">invested</a> in Strive, Ramaswamy’s anti-woke wealth management venture. 
“Nate Morris is the exact kind of candidate the MAGA movement needs in the Senate,&#8221; Ramaswamy told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The era of career politicians is over.” 
“Delivering President Trump’s America First agenda requires fresh, bold, visionary leadership. I know Nate is the exact right man for the job and I am incredibly proud to endorse him for U.S. Senate,&#8221; Ramaswamy added.
Morris welcomed the endorsement from Ramaswamy, saying that he looked forward to developing a partnership between Kentucky and Ohio to fight for an “America First” agenda. 
“Vivek Ramaswamy truly embodies everything that the future of the America First movement has to offer and I am honored to have his endorsement,” Morris said. “With Vivek Ramaswamy in Columbus and me in Washington D.C., I am confident that we can and we will continue to make Kentucky, Ohio, and America great.”
Ramaswamy is currently running to replace Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
Morris&#8217;s top two opponents are Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr and former Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron. The three candidates have all sparred with each other over the issue of DEI. Morris has accused his two rivals of being puppets of McConnell, who has been in the Senate since 1985.
In August, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-senate-candidate-deleted-environmentalist-tweets-before-launching-campaign">reported</a> that Morris had deleted multiple environmental tweets prior to launching his campaign. In response to that story, Donald Trump Jr., who has endorsed Morris, vouched for the Kentucky businessman&#8217;s anti-woke credentials. 
“Few people have been more outspoken against ESG and woke capital than me over the past five years, and I can say with total certainty that Nate is 100% aligned with us on supporting the parallel economy, combating ESG, and destroying woke capital once and for all,” Trump Jr. said, pointing to Morris’s investments in Strive. 
Morris has also been endorsed by Senators Bernie Moreno (Ohio) and Jim Banks (IN).

Templates (8)

Vivek Ramaswamy Makes Endorsement In Contested GOP Senate Primary

Vivek Ramaswamy

On Wednesday evening, a handful of Republicans in the Senate joined forces with Democrats and independents on Wednesday to pass a measure subverting the Trump administration&#8217;s 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.
The Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ros25392.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) that, if enacted, would terminate the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency declaration</a> employed by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canada earlier this year.
Despite the Senate&#8217;s rebuke, Kaine&#8217;s resolution faces significant challenges, as it needs approval from the GOP-led House to take effect — an unlikely prospect. Additionally, Trump indicated he would veto the resolution if it reached his desk.
Senate Republicans who <a href="https://x.com/SenatePress/status/1907578012867940509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke ranks</a> to support Kaine&#8217;s resolution included Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Rand Paul (R-KY). Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) did not vote.
&#8220;The Maine economy is integrated with Canada, our most important trading partner,&#8221; Collins <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KvDcrFi0PY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on the Senate floor, adding later, &#8220;The tariffs on Canada would be detrimental to many Maine families and our local economies.&#8221;
Collins acknowledged sharing Trump&#8217;s goal of &#8220;stemming the tide of dangerous fentanyl that flows into the United States,&#8221; but insisted that, &#8220;unlike Mexico and China&#8221; — two other countries targeted for tariffs — &#8220;Canada is not complicit in this crisis.&#8221;
In an <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114266599439835683" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social before the vote, Trump called out the GOP defectors by name, urging them to reject a &#8220;ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans&#8221; and encouraging people in their states to contact their senators.
Trump contended that Canada was facilitating the flow of fentanyl into the United States and emphasized that Kaine&#8217;s resolution is &#8220;not going anywhere because the House will never approve it and I, as your President, will never sign it.&#8221;
Earlier this year, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on some imports from Canada, arguing that the U.S. neighbor was not doing enough to curb the trafficking of drugs such as fentanyl. Canada <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/12/canada-tariffs-steel-aluminum-trump-computers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> by announcing 25% retaliatory tariffs.
The penalties against Canada preceded Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; announcement of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unleashes-liberation-day-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reciprocal tariffs</a> on dozens of other countries around the world during an event in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday afternoon.
When Kaine <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-klobuchar-and-warner-formally-file-legislation-to-undo-president-trumps-senseless-taxes-on-canadian-goods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> the resolution on Canada tariffs with Sens. Amy Klobucher (D-MN) and Mark Warner (D-VA), he said the measure was privileged, meaning the Republican-controlled Senate was required to vote on it in the coming weeks.
They <a href="https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-klobuchar-and-warner-announce-expected-vote-timing-on-their-bill-to-undo-canada-tariffs-that-will-raise-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> that tariffs against Canada have disrupted the United States economy in a way that raises costs for American consumers, harms workers and businesses, strains a key trade partnership, and ignites a destructive trade war.
On the GOP side, McConnell <a href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/02/12/trump-tariffs-damage-kentucky-economy-bourbon-mcconnell/78393549007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> of higher prices and harm to Kentucky industries, Paul <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx2MD3iOAiY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">objected</a> to the use of emergency authority for tariffs, and Murkowski pondered why the U.S. was <a href="https://x.com/highbrow_nobrow/status/1902855339902390661" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;fighting&#8221;</a> Canada while &#8220;making nice&#8221; with Russia.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) said in a statement after the vote on Wednesday that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had already declared Kaine’s resolution dead on arrival in the House, and it will never reach Trump’s desk.
Kaine’s &#8220;goal&#8221; was &#8220;to undermine President Trump’s successful work to secure the Northern Border,&#8221; he said, adding, &#8220;This meaningless messaging resolution will not stop Senate Republicans from making America’s communities safer.&#8221;

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

Four Senate Republicans Vote With Dems To Upend Trump’s Canada Tariffs

Canada

Susan Collins

Tariffs

Tim Kaine

Trade War

U.S.

On Thursday morning, Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mitch-mcconnell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitch McConnell</a> (R-KY) announced that he will not seek another term in the upper chamber during next year&#8217;s election, a decision that will bring to an end a lengthy career that included serving nearly two decades as party leader in the Senate.
&#8220;Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,&#8221; McConnell said in a Senate floor speech on his 83rd birthday. &#8220;Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business right here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sen. Mitch McConnell (<a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenMcConnell</a>): &quot;Seven times my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate&#8230;Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/b33cR7I36e">pic.twitter.com/b33cR7I36e</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892621015370399750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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During a record <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/longest-serving-party-leaders.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18 years</a> as party leader in the Senate, McConnell played a key role in shaping the conservative Supreme Court, sending aid to Ukraine, implementing a sweeping tax overhaul, and handling two impeachment trials for President Donald Trump, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-retirement-34c79ef12bf62d14cb71d3c393f23a83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per the AP</a>.
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McConnell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-republican-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> one year ago he would not seek another term as GOP Senate leader. The childhood polio survivor was briefly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-senate-minority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-discharged-from-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospitalized</a> in March 2023 with a concussion from falling. In the months that followed, he appeared to freeze and struggled to answer questions. He also got a cut on his face and sprained his wrist after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-falls-again-gets-medical-attention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tripping</a>.
After revealing his plans to step aside from leadership, McConnell indicated that he planned to serve out the remainder of his current term in the Senate, which ends in January 2027, saying in a speech, &#8220;I still have enough gas in my tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they&#8217;ve become accustomed.&#8221;
McConnell <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-falls-twice-in-short-span-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fell again</a> — twice during a short time span — earlier this month. Soon afterward, a spokesperson for the senator told The Daily Wire that McConnell was &#8220;fine,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.&#8221;
Over the past couple of weeks, McConnell has voted against some of Trump&#8217;s second-term Cabinet nominees. They included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
It did not take long for people to start announcing their intention to run for McConnell&#8217;s seat after the senator announced his plan to retire. Former Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who lost a bid for governor in 2023 after being endorsed by Trump, revealed his campaign on X, posting, &#8220;Kentucky, it&#8217;s time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let&#8217;s do this.&#8221;
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Kentucky, it&#39;s time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let&#39;s do this. <a href="https://t.co/YRXAm4Busv">pic.twitter.com/YRXAm4Busv</a>
&mdash; Daniel Cameron (@DanielCameronKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielCameronKY/status/1892622418113372645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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McConnell Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election

Daniel Cameron

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