Staff for Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell said last week that he is “continuing his recovery” in a hospital while the Senate is out of session, but his office has released no details about his condition during his weekslong hospitalization or whether he’ll be at the Capitol when the Senate returns next week.
Amid the lack of updates, there is speculation across social media, with unverified claims circulating online.
Unverified claims circulate online
Amid the lack of official updates, right-wing activist Laura Loomer posted unverified claims on X citing an anonymous source. “High level source close to the White House tells me ‘Mitch McConnell is officially brain dead. He’s not coming back,’” she wrote.
In a follow-up post, she added, “Mitch McConnell is being kept ‘alive’ by life support machines, but my White House source told me McConnell is in organ failure, and as I reported, source told me he has allegedly been declared a vegetable (brain dead) by doctors and the White House has been told ‘McConnell isn’t ever coming back.’ Officially brain dead, organ failure is accelerating, life support machine is keeping him ‘alive’ but his brain is officially dead and his wife @ElaineChao has fled the country to China. I wonder if she brought any of his documents or briefings with her to China.”
Ht.com couldn’t independently verify these claims and there is no official update.
Also Read: Mitch McConnell health: Senator’s office gives positive recovery update amid false death rumors
What happened to him?
McConnell was admitted to the hospital on June 14, according to a statement from his office that only said he was “receiving excellent care.” A statement a week later said he would not be voting that week. On Thursday, a new statement said he “continues to improve” and “appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,” per AP.
As per Daily Beast, McConnell was found unconscious and received CPR from emergency responders after seemingly suffering a cardiac arrest at his Washington, DC home on June 14, according to EMS dispatch audio.
His staff waited until June 22 to give an update, saying only that he would not be voting that week. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on June 15 that he had not spoken with McConnell but claimed McConnell was “clearly dialed into what’s going on” in the Senate despite his hospitalization.
Daughter deletes her account amid speculation
Porter McConnell, the senator’s eldest daughter, has deleted her once-prominent X account as speculation grows over her father’s health, according to the Daily Beast.
Porter who is 48, had been openly critical of her father’s conservative politics and the Republican Party on the platform. She was formerly the campaign director for Take on Wall Street, a left-leaning advocacy group. She is one of three daughters McConnell had with his first wife, Sherrill Redmon, whom he was married to from 1968 to 1980.
McConnell who is 84, was the longest-serving Senate leader in history before stepping aside from that role and is serving out his final term, which ends in January.
