President Donald Trump said he does not know whether Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is recovering and acknowledged he has little information about the Kentucky Republican’s condition, despite McConnell releasing a photo of himself from the hospital.
“I don’t hear much. I was, you know, never a huge fan, but he’s one of the people who should be voting for John Thune, because you know John Thune was loyal to him,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.
McConnell broke weeks of silence about his health Sunday, revealing he was hospitalized last month after suffering a fall. The senator added that he does not expect to “return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet.”
In a statement to constituents, McConnell said his physical challenges “haven’t exactly gotten easier to manage with age,” but that he remains engaged in Senate business.
“I’ve been working closely with my legislative staff on current issues, and with my Kentucky team who help me provide timely constituent services across our Commonwealth,” McConnell said. “I’ve also been keeping in touch with my Senate colleagues on the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between.”
McConnell said he has shown “signs of continued progress” and has moved from hospital care to a rehabilitation center, where he will continue working to regain his strength.
Speculation about McConnell’s health intensified on Capitol Hill last week after several Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), said they had spoken with him by phone. Trump said at the time that he had “no idea how he’s doing.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) questioned the authenticity of the photo released by McConnell’s office, saying he had heard from other sources that it was an older image.
“Well, I just heard from some other sources that was an older photo, so I really don’t know. I haven’t talked to Mitch,” Johnson said on Real America’s Voice. “I certainly wish him and his family well. I hope he can recover.”
McConnell says a fall led to hospitalization and he won’t return to Senate floor ‘quite yet’
McConnell, 84, was the longest-serving Senate leader in history before stepping down from the leadership role and allowing Thune to take over in January 2025. He announced the following month that he would not seek reelection, setting up his departure from Congress in January 2027.
McConnell’s health has drawn increased attention in recent years following a series of falls and public episodes. He fractured his shoulder after a fall in 2019 and experienced several falls and moments of freezing during public appearances in 2023 and 2024. In October 2025, he fell again while walking through the Capitol ahead of a Senate vote.
