McConnell says the fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about his health

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Mitch McConnell revealed Sunday for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking silence about his condition after weeks of mounting speculation about the Kentucky Republican’s health.

McConnell, 84, said in a statement that he also suffered from a mild case of pneumonia and underwent a battery of tests while doctors tried to determine the cause of his fall. He explained the four-week silence about his condition by saying that “people of my generation are often reluctant to share the vulnerabilities that come with age.”

“Even in the public eye, I feel the same instinct — I can’t help it,” he said.

McConnell said he is now in a rehabilitation center and will not return to the Senate “anymore.” He said he continues to work with his staff on Senate business in the meantime.

The statement included a photo of the smiling senator with his wife, Elaine Chao, an implicit response to online speculation that McConnell had died or become incapacitated.

McConnell has provided little information since being hospitalized on June 14, with his office insisting only that he is “receiving excellent care” and recovering. Speculation about his condition has grown to the point that Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear took the unusual step of issuing a public letter asking McConnell to update the public in a “transparent manner.”

McConnell will retire at the end of his term in January after one of the most consequential careers in modern politics. Republicans nominated US Representative Andy Barr to replace him, while Democrats nominated former state Representative Charles Booker.

McConnell has a history of health problems

McConnell had polio in early childhood, and has long admitted to having some difficulty as an adult with walking and climbing stairs.

The congressional physician’s office said in a statement on Sunday that McConnell “suffered several falls during the year” due to a “post-polio condition.” The office said his physical therapy aims to reduce the risk of him falling again.

“A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team showed that he had no fractures, heart abnormalities, stroke, tumor or bleeding,” the doctor’s office said.

Watch: What we know about Mitch McConnell’s health and hospitalization

McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and was the Republican leader from 2007 until last year, serving as both majority and minority leader during that time. He has remained active as a regular senator, showing up at work when the chamber is in session, and often using a wheelchair to get around.

But the senator’s physical condition has clearly deteriorated in recent years.

He was hospitalized with a concussion in March 2023 and missed several weeks of work after collapsing at a Washington hotel. He froze twice during news conferences after his return, staring past teammates and staff. A year later, he fell and sprained his wrist while leaving a Republican luncheon.