Senator Mitch McConnell has now been “hospitalized” for over a month in DC. He “collapsed” at home, then he was loaded into an ambulance in mid-June and he did not even appear to be conscious. People were throwing around terms like “brain dead” and “cardiac event.” There was tremendous pressure on McConnell or his office to give more information. Finally, on Sunday, they released a very strange “proof of life” photo with a statement allegedly “written” by the old turtle. The statement claimed that he simply had a fall and he also developed pneumonia. The photo looked weird across the board. So much so that people immediately thought it was AI-generated, or perhaps an older photo which had been repurposed. Well, the Washington Post got an intern to write a story about how the photo was definitely NOT AI. O rly??

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office released a photo Sunday night in an effort to answer weeks of questions about his health. In it, the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican smiles beside his wife, Elaine Chao, while holding what appears to be that day’s Washington Post Sports section. But the image did not end the speculation about McConnell’s condition. Instead, it prompted more theories and even accusations that the image was fake, the latest test of public trust in the age of artificial intelligence.

On Monday night, The Post reviewed a copy of the original photo — provided by McConnell’s office at The Post’s request — and found that its metadata appears to show it was taken Sunday. An independent digital forensics expert also said there appeared to be no evidence that the image is fake.

In the image, McConnell is holding a copy of The Post’s July 12 Sports section, featuring Chris Hacopian, the Washington Nationals’ selection with the No. 11 pick in this year’s MLB draft. Soon after its release, right-wing influencers — who have alleged without evidence for weeks that McConnell’s condition is worse than publicly disclosed — suggested on social media that the picture was fake. Several criticized McConnell’s office for not providing video or audio of the senator.

Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer who is an ally of Trump, posted on X that the copy of The Post looks “AI generated” and that McConnell’s “staff are liars.” She stood by her claims in a phone interview Monday, in which she did not provide substantiating evidence but said no one at the White House had asked her to correct her public comments about McConnell’s condition or the photo. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hany Farid, a digital forensics professor at the University of California at Berkeley, examined the photo and said there is no evidence that the image is fake or AI generated. He said that neither McConnell’s nor Chao’s face looks suspicious, according to an analytical model he used to examine the image. He said that the picture’s lighting is plausible and consistent, and that what is visible of the newspaper in McConnell’s hand is consistent with that day’s Post Sports section.

But the picture’s apparent legitimacy has not deterred more theories online. One viral post, with more than 4 million views, claimed without evidence that Sunday’s photo of McConnell is nearly identical to a photo of him from 2023. The Post could not find any such picture. Some elected officials have amplified these claims. On Monday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) said in an interview that he “just heard from some source that was an older photo.” He later described it as a “rumor,” adding that “we’re all hoping Mitch recovers fully and comes back” and that he hadn’t spoken with McConnell.

[From WaPo]

I don’t have the best eye for AI, but I feel like I’m pretty good at recognizing when there’s something “off” about certain photos. This is one of those times. I have no idea if the photo was AI-generated, but the evidence provided by WaPo is inconclusive at best. My gut says that it originally started out as a real photo at some point, but that it was edited and manipulated to include a current newspaper issue. I also don’t believe McConnell wrote that statement. Anyway, all of this could be cleared up in a jiffy if McConnell would simply hop in front of a CNN or NBC camera.

Sen. McConnell’s office released a photo in an effort to answer questions about his health, showing what appears to be him holding The Post’s July 12 Sports section.

We reviewed metadata that shows the photo was taken July 12. An independent digital forensics expert also said… pic.twitter.com/3DmTIMjoLP

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 14, 2026

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, McConnell’s social media.