McConnell hospitalized for concussion

Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett
·2 min read
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Mitch McConnell is being treated for a concussion and will remain in the hospital for several days after a fall, according to a statement from his office.

“Leader McConnell tripped at a dinner event Wednesday evening and has been admitted to the hospital and is being treated for a concussion,” David Popp, a McConnell spokesperson, said Thursday. “He is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days of observation and treatment.”

Staff gave GOP senators a similar update to the public statement at a party lunch Thursday, according to one Republican senator, who said McConnell could potentially return to the Senate next week.

Following the lunch, Republican senators expressed relief and appeared optimistic about the minority leader's condition.

“I understand his biggest concern right now is that he missed the halibut. he is a big fan of Sen. Murkowski’s halibut,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) after the lunch. “He’s going to be OK.”

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said he expected McConnell to be kept over the weekend but that his understanding is McConnell “feels fine.”

The fall took place at the Waldorf Astoria hotel at a private dinner. The McConnell-aligned Super PAC Senate Leadership Fund also hosted an event in the building that evening, which several senators attended, including Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Senate Republicans earlier in the day were in the dark over the Kentucky Republican’s health status.

“I trust him and his team and his doctors to tell us what’s going on,” Graham said. “Just hope he’s doing well.”

McConnell isn’t the only senator who has been hospitalized recently. In recent weeks, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) checked himself into Walter Reed for clinical depression. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), meanwhile, was in the hospital recently for shingles.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said earlier in the day that he was not surprised about the initial lack of information, noting the incident had just happened and that “if anybody can hold information close he can.”

McConnell, who is 81 and had polio as a child, previously fractured his shoulder in 2019 after tripping on his patio at home.