Senator Mitch McConnell’s office and the Senate’s attending physician offered fresh details about his health on Monday. This comes as speculations about the senator’s condition have been spreading online and in the media.
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McConnell’s office released a photo of the senator from the hospital. He can be seen smiling alongside his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
“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,” McConnell said. He added that he would miss the annual “Fancy Farm” event in Kentucky this year because of his recovery.
Senator says he’s not yet ready to get back to work in the Senate.
“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,” he said.
He also said he would not be able to attend the annual “Fancy Farm” event in Kentucky this year because of his recovery. “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,” McConnell added.
The latest photo has not stopped the online chatter. Reacting to the update, one user wrote, “it looks like the same photo as last time this guy’s dead.”
Another commented, “Old Man Happy to Continue Getting Paid for Doing Nothing.”
A third user wrote, “It’s sad at this point. He’s either dead or seriously unwell and I’d like for him to be able to retire with what little grace he still has.”
Another said, “If you need to release proof of life photos, you should not be in congress.”
This is not the first time a hospital photo of McConnell has led to speculation instead of settling. When McConnell first revealed in a statement that a fall had led to his hospitalization, he shared a photo with wife Elaine Chao in which he held a copy of the Washington Post’s sports section, seen as an attempt to prove his condition.
Also Read: Mitch McConnell: Senator’s office staff walks away as reporter demands video ‘proof of life’; watch
That photo was also questioned online and conspiracy theorists and people said it was AI generated.
Then another photo was released, which was also questioned.
Also Read: Mitch McConnell update: Conspiracy theorist says ‘a lot is wrong’ with Senator’s new ‘proof of life’ photo
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McConnell, 84, was first hospitalized in June after a fall at his home that caused him to lose consciousness, and he also had a mild case of pneumonia during his hospital stay, according to Hindustan Times. He had also been hospitalized in 2023 with a concussion after a fall at a hotel.
