In late June, Senator Mitch McConnell had some kind of serious cardiac episode at his home in DC. Someone called 911, and he was eventually taken away in an ambulance. He’s been in the hospital ever since. Rumors are flying around MAGA world, Kentucky media, DC media and beyond. Nothing has been verified, but the independent journalist who broke the story about McConnell’s hospitalization claimed that her sources are saying that McConnell is “brain dead.” Which caused a real commotion, and now McConnell is apparently chatting up political allies from his hospital bed.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell has been making phone calls from his hospital bed to Republican allies to dispel internet rumors that he’s “brain dead” after 911 dispatch calls revealed the 84-year-old was rushed off “unconscious” from his DC home in an ambulance last month.
The longest-serving Senate leader of either party reached out to his successor, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) as well as ex-adviser and current CNN contributor Scott Jennings following X posts from right-wing firebrand Laura Loomer about an alleged “cover up” of McConnell’s failing health.
“Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,” a spokesperson for his office said in a statement. “The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
McConnell’s Senate colleagues issued statements that the retiring Republican was alert — and chatty.
“Leader Thune spoke with Sen. McConnell yesterday by phone,” a spokesperson for the majority leader’s office said. “They had a lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security.”
“Senator Barrasso and Senator McConnell had a lengthy conversation early this afternoon. Their phone call lasted roughly 20 minutes,” a spokesperson for the Republican majority whip also said. “Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”
Jennings added in an X Post that on Tuesday he also “talked for just shy of 20 minutes” with his former boss “about IRAN, UKRAINE, the unfolding situation in MAINE, my visit to the TR [Theodore Roosevelt] 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.”
Republicans’ 53-47 majority wouldn’t be imperiled should he be unable to finish his term in January 2026, since Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear wouldn’t be able to choose a replacement candidate. Instead, a special election would take place.
Independent journalist Desireé Townsend was the first to uncover the EMS audio of McConnell being taken to George Washington University Hospital on June 14 — after he was found “unconscious” shortly before 9 a.m. Dispatchers on the audio discussed that there was “CPR in progress” for a “cardiac arrest” at McConnell’s residence and referenced medical personnel in an ALS, or Advanced Life Support, ambulance had been sent to the home.
Yeah, I don’t know what to tell you. Either McConnell is sitting up in a hospital bed, calling up colleagues and friends, or this is all some kind of Weekend-at-Bernie’s political mess in which McConnell’s staffers are “handling” all of this. One thing I know for sure is that McConnell’s wife Elaine Chao is not part of the Weekend-at-Bernie’s conspiracy, if there is one. Chao flew to China just days after her husband was taken to the hospital and when pressed about possibly returning to see her ailing husband, she told journalists that McConnell’s condition “did not warrant an immediate return to the US.” Cold as ice.
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…
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 7, 2026
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
