Senator Mitch McConnell’s office has released a new photo — and provided an update on his health — after he was hospitalized for a medical emergency.
“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. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday,” McConnell, 84, and the Office of the Attending Physician shared in a statement on Monday, July 27.
The message continued, “There’s no place I’d rather be on the first Saturday in August than with the good people of western Kentucky, feasting on pork and mutton. When I first attended forty-two years ago, Fancy Farm was a pretty lonely place to be a Republican. But, my, how times have changed. Today, western Kentucky is a conservative Republican sea of red. So I hate that I’ll miss the fun this year, but I’m sending my best wishes to the St. Jerome community for a successful picnic.”
The statement noted that he appreciates “all of your continued well wishes” and is “looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon.” In a separate message, the OAP shared that the senator “continues his recovery from a fall at home in June.”
“OAP physicians visit with the Senator every day, discussing all aspects of his rehabilitation care,” the statement read. “Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls. His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”
Alongside the message, a photo showed McConnell smiling in a blue button-down shirt as he sat beside his wife, Elaine Chao, who was perched on the chair. The photo’s caption read, “Senator Mitch McConnell and Secretary Elaine Chao on Sunday, July 26, 2026.”
News broke on July 1 that audio of emergency services dispatch calls detailed an “unconscious” person at McConnell’s home in Washington, D.C., on June 14 before 9 a.m. In the weeks since, McConnell’s team has provided updates on his health as he has missed voting sessions.
Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, has been outspoken about McConnell since his hospitalization and claimed that the senator was brain dead. The known conspiracy theorist alleged to have received the information from a “high-level source close to the White House.”
McConnell’s office, however, debunked the claims he was incapacitated.
“Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,” his office said in a statement to Us on July 7. “The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
The senator is currently on his seventh six-year term representing Kentucky, and has previously announced that he will not run for an eighth term in 2026. McConnell is set to retire from the U.S. Senate when his current term ends in January 2027.
