Mitch McConnell has not been seen publicly in 78 days, since June 14th. June 14th was the day he allegedly collapsed in his Washington home and was taken away via ambulance. Some of his neighbors got footage of someone being slowly loaded into an ambulance via a stretcher. What followed that moment was weeks of silence, then a couple of very odd proof-of-life “photos” released by his office. The last time we heard from “Mitch McConnell” or his office, he was being discharged from the hospital (after a nearly two-month stay) to recover at home. That was over three weeks ago and no one knows if McConnell will be back when Congress’s summer break is over.
The office for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is remaining silent on when the long-term senator will head back to work.
McConnell, 84, announced earlier this month that he had been discharged from a rehabilitation center after a fall on June 14 and subsequent “mild case” of pneumonia.
The Kentucky Republican, who is retiring after his term ends in January, said he will continue his recovery at home but has not provided a timeline of when he expects to return to the Senate. The upper chamber is expected to return from its summer recess on Sept. 14.
It was the third time McConnell provided an update on his health — after his office had remained largely quiet for weeks on the circumstances of his hospitalization and condition.
His office was pressed Thursday for another update — but his spokesperson, Stephanie Penn, told HuffPost that she had “nothing to add” to his last statement released on Aug. 6. She instead shared an excerpt from it.
“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” the previous statement reads.
When the 75th day passed with no update or sighting of McConnell, that made news and people spent the weekend asking why this isn’t a major story. A missing senator, a flimsy cover story, proof-of-life photos which look manipulated, a mysterious eight-week hospitalization, dead silence since his hospital discharge. It’s legitimately crazy.
On June 4, ten days before Mitch McConnell disappeared, he spent nearly 20-hour on the Senate floor frozen in place. pic.twitter.com/j3xF8MKJ3z
— Sigurdur Nordal (@essenviews) August 20, 2026
Photos courtesy of McConnell’s Senate office, Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) answers questions from reporters during a news conference following the weekly meeting with the Senate Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Earlier today US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) on Tuesday, said the Electoral College “has spoken” and congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden on his victory.,Image: 576314967, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no, Credit line: Rod Lamkey – Pool via CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) speaks to the media following the weekly Senate policy luncheon. McConnell stopped speaking in the middle of his opening remarks and was escorted away from the podium before returning to answer questions and saying, “I’m Fine” in the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. Featuring: Senator Mitch McConnell Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 26 Jul 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) speaks to the media following the weekly Senate policy luncheon. McConnell stopped speaking in the middle of his opening remarks and was escorted away from the podium before returning to answer questions and saying, “I’m Fine” in the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. Featuring: Senator Mitch McConnell Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 26 Jul 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
Because he’s no longer alive
Ding ding ding!
Or rather beep beep beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
The clone they are trying to create isn’t ready yet. Maybe Kate can give him some pointers on stitching together more proof of life photos!
This Weekend at Bernie’s situation needs to end. They are either wheel his corpse up to a damn podium and mic or they allow Beshear to go ahead with a special election.
At this point they have lost their position to allow anything. Beshear just needs to go ahead and do what he needs to do. Maybe that will light a fire under their asses.
Beshear should have done it 60 days ago – he needs to stop pussy-footing around and exercise his powers
Are any of you Celebitches here actual constituents of Mitch’s (I am so sorry you deserve so much better before this idiocy started).
If so, what is the story that you are getting from his office if you are getting any story at all.
He at least owes his constituents an answer. He works for them.
He is robbing his constituents by refusing to do his job and they apparently do not care. The nation is paying the price for this moron refusing to accept that he cannot serve anymore or for the cover-up that his team is perpetuating. Either way, he’s going out as the immoral wretch that he has always been.
Immoral wretch describes ALLLLLLL of them.
“Dead” silence is right!
When this is all said and done…there’s going to be a lot of people going to jail over this one.
I hope so. And I hope that everything is ready to go so that they can just drop in and start the proceedings of putting these people behind bars.
Makes me disgusted that they’re still picking up benefits and checks while all the while he denied them to every other average American
I don’t think he was earning his pay when we knew where he was.
Whatever. It’s one less vote for Republicans so I can’t get too worked up about it. But the media is seriously complicit in this by not investigating. And asking his staff when he’s returning makes them look like the stenographers they are when dealing with Republicans. There’s a Pulitzer waiting for any real journalist who chooses to investigate.
Good point I don’t know what Gov Andy has to gain in the big picture. But absolutely why doesn’t anyone in the mainstream press not persue this
Shoot, I’d even appreciate TMZ going after this story. They’ve got an office in DC now, right?
That time lapse is really something, and makes a person wonder about why MAGA republicans and adult diapers go together like salt and pepper (yes, I resisted the disgusting urge to choose “peanut butter and jelly”).
What a terrible perversion of democracy for constituents to have a deceased/effectively deceased representative.
And also, if I may – the Canadian pol satire site The Beaverton had a great headline on this – and here’s the lede, no notes chef’s kiss: “Nearly 3 months after being hospitalized and retreating from public, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has broken his silence regarding Canadian bans on Kentucky bourbon with the help of a new ventriloquist senatorial aide as well as several heavy cables.”
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2026/08/mitch-mcconnell-speaks-out-about-canada-bourbon-ban-with-help-of-ventriloquist-aide/
The man is dead! But they’ll find a way to let him vote anyway. Trump will sign an executive order to make it so.
That’s what I’m thinking, they’ll figure out a way to get ‘his’ vote to the floor, a version of vote by mail, if you will.
Everyone just allows his staff to get away with this. I guess Mitch also has a Trump-esque immunity to do whatever you want pass.
They’re all collecting paychecks & don’t want to give up that sweet, sweet easy money.