Sen. Mitch McConnell “wants to be back” on Capitol Hill after he was hospitalized over the weekend, Senate GOP leader John Thune instructed NCS on Monday.
Thune stated that McConnell “sounded good. He wants to be back, but I’ll defer to his staff on when.” He added, “He’s clearly dialed into what’s going on. He’s following the stuff we’re doing this week.”
McConnell, 84, was admitted to a hospital Sunday morning. A press release from a spokesperson for the Kentucky Republican didn’t tackle the reason for the hospitalization or his situation. The spokesperson stated that McConnell was receiving “excellent care.”
Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Senate Republican, instructed NCS that he spoke Monday with McConnell, who he stated was “good,” and “looking forward to getting back.”
“He said he wants to get back this week,” Barrasso stated. “We’ll see, time will tell, but he’s hoping to be back this week.”
Asked what prompted his illness or damage, Barrasso didn’t say. But he stated that “he was engaged on what we’re doing on the floor, asked about what’s happening the rest of the week and asked about timing of votes.”
McConnell, 84, has confronted a sequence of well being points lately. In March 2023, he suffered a concussion and damaged ribs after a fall. Months later, he froze midsentence throughout a information convention. NCS later reported he had suffered two different falls earlier that 12 months.
Sen. John Kennedy stated he texted McConnell final evening and hasn’t heard again, however referred to as him “tough as a bald owl” and predicted he’ll get better.
Sen. Susan Collins instructed NCS she hasn’t spoken with McConnell since his hospitalization however stated “oh definitely” when requested if she expects him to be again.