US Senator Mitch McConnell Says Absence Due to Fall and Pneumonia
Senator Mitch McConnell has stated he will not return to the Senate yet after a fall and mild pneumonia, now recovering in a rehabilitation center.
US Senator Mitch McConnell, an 84-year-old Kentucky Republican, has broken his silence after weeks of speculation about his health. In a statement, he revealed that a fall in mid-June caused him to briefly lose consciousness, leading to hospitalization.
Doctors confirmed no broken bones, concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors, or hemorrhages, but he was diagnosed with a mild case of pneumonia. He has since been transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility.
McConnell referenced his childhood polio, which left him with mobility challenges that have worsened with age. He said he is following doctors' advice not to rush back to the Senate floor.
His office released a photo of him with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, amid criticism of her traveling to China while he was ill. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear urged transparency about McConnell's condition, expressing concern about his ability to serve.
McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader, plans to retire at the end of his term in January but says he still has unfinished business.
