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Gone quiet · last update Sep 17, 2026 / Mitch McConnell

Mitch McConnell's health: his falls, freezes and long absences from the Senate

Overview · reviewed October 28, 2026

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former Senate Republican leader, has faced repeated questions about his health since a fall in 2023: falls, two episodes in which he froze in front of reporters, and long absences from the Senate.[1][2][3][4] The longest began in June 2026, when he was hospitalized for weeks while his office gave little explanation and rumors spread online; he later said a fall had led to his hospitalization.[5][6] He returned to the Senate in September 2026 after a three-month absence.[7]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

The longest began in June 2026, when he was hospitalized for weeks while his office gave little explanation and rumors spread online; he later said a fall had led to his hospitalization.[5][6] He returned to the Senate in September 2026 after a three-month absence.[7]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Mar 2023: average weekly share 17% (left 4%, center 7%, right 5%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 5% (left 2%, center 3%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share 8% (left 2%, center 3%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 6% (left 2%, center 3%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 1% (left 0%, center under 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 10% (left 2%, center 5%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 10 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (27 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Sep 14, 202619342174 of 48015%
Sep 7, 2026016521 of 4804%
Aug 31, 2026311216 of 4753%
Aug 17, 20262125 of 4641%
Aug 10, 20260213 of 5451%
Aug 3, 202613372777 of 53714%
Jul 27, 202615412884 of 56115%
Jul 20, 20261607 of 5621%
Jul 13, 20266121230 of 5595%
Jul 6, 2026235437114 of 56020%
Jun 29, 20263231743 of 5698%
Jun 15, 20262417 of 2343%
Jun 8, 202635513 of 2007%
Feb 2, 202619616 of 1779%
Oct 13, 20250213 of 1822%
Feb 3, 20250246 of 1903%
Dec 9, 2024412521 of 20810%
Sep 4, 202318261660 of 25324%
Aug 28, 202319312171 of 26527%
Aug 7, 202341611 of 2594%
Jul 31, 20230303 of 2541%
Jul 24, 202321311466 of 26225%
Apr 17, 2023512219 of 2547%
Apr 10, 20231337 of 2543%
Mar 20, 2023913729 of 23312%
Mar 13, 2023918835 of 18319%
Mar 6, 202315252464 of 17736%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Sep 17, 2026 · first reported · Headline from Salon

    Mitch McConnell is back, and it’s terrifying

Background

In March 2023, Mitch McConnell, then the Senate minority leader, was hospitalized after tripping at a Washington hotel; he had a concussion and a rib fracture and spent time in a rehabilitation facility.[1][8][9] He returned to the Senate almost six weeks after the fall.[10] In July he froze during a news conference, then told reporters he was "fine";[2] it emerged that he had fallen getting off a plane less than two weeks earlier.[11] In August he appeared to freeze for about 30 seconds while speaking with reporters in Kentucky.[3] The Capitol's attending physician, Brian Monahan, said there was no evidence of a seizure disorder or a stroke and that McConnell was medically clear to keep working,[12][13] though his fellow Kentucky senator, Rand Paul, called the explanation "not believable."[14] McConnell told colleagues he would serve out his term as leader.[15][16]

Read the full background (3 more paragraphs)

McConnell fell again after a Republican lunch in December 2024,[17] down the stairs outside the Senate chamber in February 2025[18] and in a Senate office hallway that October.[19] In February 2026 he was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms.[4]

In mid-June 2026 his spokesperson said McConnell was in the hospital but gave few details.[20] Emergency dispatch audio indicated that someone at his Washington home had suffered "cardiac arrest" the day he was hospitalized,[21][22] and video later showed him being wheeled to an ambulance.[23] As three weeks passed with no explanation, influencers on the right demanded proof that he was alive,[24][5] Senate Republican leaders said they had spoken with him,[25] and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked for a health update.[26] On July 12, McConnell said a fall had led to his hospitalization and that he had developed mild pneumonia, and he released a photo from his hospital bed.[6][27][28] His absence complicated Republican votes on President Donald Trump's defense budget.[29]

McConnell moved to a rehabilitation facility and said he would miss Kentucky's Fancy Farm political picnic.[30] Beshear urged him to release more about his condition or resign, saying the Senate could expel him,[31] and McConnell was discharged in August.[32] On September 14 he returned to Capitol Hill for the first time in three months.[7]

Supporting stories (32)
  1. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell hospitalized after fall, spokesman says
  2. GOP leader McConnell freezes during news conference at Capitol
  3. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell appears to freeze up again, this time at a Kentucky event
  4. Mitch McConnell hospitalized for flu-like symptoms
  5. Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks and his team won’t say why. Here’s what we know
  6. McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about health condition
  7. Mitch McConnell’s Senate Vote Under Scrutiny After Lengthy Health Absence
  8. McConnell released from hospital to rehab after concussion, fractured rib
  9. McConnell leaves rehab facility after therapy for concussion
  10. GOP leader McConnell returns to Senate after head injury
  11. McConnell fell recently at Washington, D.C., airport prior to Wednesday’s freeze-up
  12. No Evidence McConnell Has ‘Seizure Disorder’ Or ‘Experienced Stroke,’ Capitol Doctor Says After Tests
  13. McConnell OK'd after freeze-up
  14. Rand Paul questions McConnell diagnosis post-freeze ups
  15. McConnell tries to reassure colleagues about his health, vows to serve out term as Senate GOP leader
  16. Sen. McConnell says he plans to serve his full term as leader despite questions about his health
  17. McConnell falls, sprains wrist after GOP luncheon
  18. Former GOP leader McConnell falls while exiting Senate chamber after Turner confirmation vote
  19. Sen. Mitch McConnell falls in Capitol hallway
  20. Senator Mitch McConnell hospitalized and 'receiving excellent care,' spokesperson says
  21. EMS performed CPR at Mitch McConnell's home same day he was hospitalized: Dispatch audio
  22. McConnell’s health emergency sparks questions on whether he will return to Senate
  23. Sen. Mitch McConnell was loaded into ambulance on a stretcher, new video obtained by CNN shows
  24. Republican congressman says he’s unsure if Mitch McConnell is alive: ‘Very discouraging’
  25. McConnell spoke to GOP leaders amid uncertainty about his Senate return
  26. Latest on Sen. Mitch McConnell's health update
  27. Sen. Mitch McConnell releases first statement since being hospitalized
  28. McConnell says after weeks of speculation that hospitalization was due to a fall
  29. McConnell’s absence imperils Trump’s record defense budget
  30. McConnell photo released amid health questions
  31. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s message to Sen. Mitch McConnell: Disclose more about health or resign
  32. Sen. Mitch McConnell says he’s been discharged from rehabilitation center

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 57 recorded updates

September 2026

  1. Mitch McConnell Is Back. Sort Of. Well, Physically at Least. God Help Us.Headline from PJ Media · 2 outlets
  2. Mitch McConnell’s Senate Vote Under Scrutiny After Lengthy Health AbsenceHeadline from Newsweek · 77 outlets
  3. GOP lawmaker gives expected timeline for Mitch McConnell’s returnHeadline from KTVZ Bend · 16 outlets

August 2026

  1. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says he's 'heard absolutely nothing back from Mitch McConnell'Headline from The Hill · 8 outlets
  2. Sen. Mitch McConnell says he’s been discharged from rehabilitation centerHeadline from FOX 8 Cleveland · 78 outlets

July 2026

  1. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s message to Sen. Mitch McConnell: Disclose more about health or resignHeadline from KION Central Coast · 13 outlets
  2. Kentucky governor demands that McConnell prove he is fit to serve or resignHeadline from The Republic · 36 outlets
  3. Mitch McConnell Releases Another “Proof of Life” PhotographHeadline from The Bulwark · 7 outlets
  4. McConnell photo released amid health questionsHeadline from Billings Gazette · 50 outlets
  5. McConnell to skip Fancy Farm picnic; physician says he's not cleared to return to SenateHeadline from The Hill · 6 outlets
  6. Mitch McConnell's hometown paper publishes scathing 'pre-obituary'Headline from Phl17 · 7 outlets
  7. Kentucky governor says he received 2 calls from agencies indicating McConnell had 'passed'Headline from Fox News · 5 outlets
  8. Is Mitch McConnell's hospital photo real or fake? We asked an AI expertHeadline from WHAS Louisville · 19 outlets
  9. Comedian Margaret Cho mocks Lindsey Graham's death, wishes McConnell nextHeadline from Washington Times · 5 outlets
  10. Sen. Mitch McConnell releases first statement since being hospitalizedHeadline from Pix11 · 9 outlets
  11. McConnell’s absence imperils Trump’s record defense budgetHeadline from The Hill · 5 outlets
  12. McConnell says after weeks of speculation that hospitalization was due to a fallHeadline from KTVZ Bend · 19 outlets
  13. McConnell breaks weeks of silence about health condition in new noteHeadline from CBS 19 Tyler · 24 outlets
  14. McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about health conditionHeadline from NBC Los Angeles · 18 outlets
  15. MIA Mitch McConnell Must Explain His Absence Or RetireHeadline from The Federalist · 3 outlets
  16. Sen. Mitch McConnell was loaded into ambulance on a stretcher, new video obtained by CNN showsHeadline from KARE 11 Minneapolis · 27 outlets
  17. Mitch McConnell update: Separating fact from fictionHeadline from KHOU Houston · 8 outlets
  18. Mitch McConnell's health absence a mystery with Senate poised to returnHeadline from Omaha World-Herald · 5 outlets
  19. Mitch McConnell gives update on his healthHeadline from CBS News · 9 outlets
  20. In a roundup of Republicans talking about McConnell, CNN quotes fake congressmanHeadline from Just the News · 6 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →