Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health: Here’s what you need to know
Sen. Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized three weeks later. USA TODAY’s Melina Khan reports on what we know and what we don’t know.
Sen. Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized for undisclosed reasons, and his recent conversations with colleagues have been in the spotlight.
Amid growing questions about Mr. McConnell’s health, two of his colleagues and a longtime confidant recently said they had spoken to the 84-year-old Mr. McConnell while he was in the hospital.
Aides confirmed that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Senate Majority Leader John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) met with McConnell on July 6 and July 7, respectively. Scott Jennings, a commentator and longtime adviser to Mr. McConnell, also said he spoke with the senator on July 7.
McConnell’s office has disclosed little about his hospitalization, other than to say he was hospitalized on June 14 and that by July 7 he was “continuing to recover.”
The internet is now focused on the mystery surrounding McConnell’s reported conversation and hospitalization, with social media users claiming they too spoke with the senator about the dramatized topic.
McConnell allies detail recent conversations (approximately 20 minutes)
On July 6, Mr. Thune spoke with Mr. McConnell on a variety of topics, including national security, and the conversation was “long and substantive,” a spokesperson for Mr. Thune said in a statement.
The next day, Barrasso met with McConnell for about 20 minutes to discuss upcoming Senate activities, the latest Supreme Court news and the Maine Senate race, among other topics, according to a statement from Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes.
“Senator McConnell is fully committed and eager to return to the Senate,” Noyes said.
Also on July 7, Jennings posted on X that she had spoken to McConnell, who told her he was “still recovering in the hospital.”
“We talked for just under 20 minutes…about the unfolding situation in Iran, Ukraine, and Maine, our visit to the TR Presidential Library, and a little about the history of the Senate. I told him I wanted to see him back to work as soon as possible,” Jennings wrote.
Why a 20-minute conversation with Mitch McConnell went viral
After the conversation between Thune, Barrasso, Jennings and McConnell was reported, many social media users focused on the length of the conversation.
Specifically, some highlighted that the discussion between Barrasso, Jennings and McConnell lasted about 20 minutes.
“Am I the only one who didn’t talk to Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes today?” one social media user wrote to X.
Another user wrote, “It’s crazy how we all spent 20 minutes talking to McConnell this morning. I wonder where he found the time to schedule all of those 20 minute slots.”
Some argued that Mr. McConnell should have provided more information about his health, given his ability to hold long conversations. Experts told USA TODAY that while it’s normal to be concerned about the health of public figures, the desire for information is typically even greater when it comes to elected officials.
Brad Fulton, a professor of business administration, data science and philanthropy at Indiana University Bloomington, previously told USA TODAY that public figures, including political leaders, “are entitled to a certain level of privacy regarding personal health matters.”
“It’s important to balance the public’s right to information with the individual’s right to privacy,” Fulton said.
Thomas Massey and Andy Cohen share a 20-minute conversation
Still, the attention sparked a flurry of posts from people joking about the made-up story with Mr. McConnell.
“Can someone please put me on a 20 minute phone call with Mitch McConnell? I keep getting a busy signal. Apparently everyone in Washington has their own direct number except the taxpayers who foot the bill,” one person wrote to X.
Outgoing Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey wrote to X: “I spoke with McConnell for about 20 minutes this morning. He said we should end the war with Iran, stop aid to Israel, and stop spying on Americans without a warrant. I am truly disappointed in the outcome of my primary.”
This virality spread to pop culture as well.
Andy Cohen posted in the thread, “Mitch McConnell called me with the scoop on RHOC Season 20. We just happened to talk for 20 minutes!”, referring to The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Lisa Rinna, herself a Real Housewife, also wrote in the thread, “Mitch McConnell called and asked if my lips were real.”
Latest information on Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization
McConnell was hospitalized on the morning of June 14, his spokesman David Popp confirmed at the time. His office did not provide details about the reason for his hospitalization.
On the morning of June 14, audio from an emergency call to the address listed in records as McConnell’s longtime Washington, D.C., address showed someone at the scene unconscious. A few minutes later, another call came in saying someone was in “cardiac arrest.”
When asked for comment about the audio by USA TODAY on July 1, McConnell’s office would not confirm or deny that the longtime senator was involved in the call. It also shared the same statement it later provided again on July 7.
“The senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate issues while the Senate is out of session,” McConnell’s office said in a statement.
“Senator McConnell is grateful for the tremendous support he is receiving as he continues his recovery in the hospital,” the statement said.
Contributors: Zachary Schermele, Alyssa Goldberg
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. X Keep up with her at @melinakh and on Instagram @bymelinakhan.
