Questions swirl over top US Republican McConnell’s hospital stay – here’s what we know
Concerns are growing about the health of top Republican lawmaker U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for more than three weeks.
McConnell, 84, was admitted for treatment on June 14, according to his staff. Aides did not provide any details about the reason for his hospitalization or what type of treatment he received.
His team said on July 2 that he was “receiving excellent care” and “continuing to improve.”
Several Republicans on Tuesday said they had spoken by phone with McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. His comments came after Trump ally Laura Loomer claimed on X that the Kentucky senator was in a “vegetative state.”
Multiple media outlets in the US reported that 911 emergency calls were made from McConnell’s home requesting help for an “unconscious” person who was having a “heart attack”.
It was also stated in the searches that CPR was applied to the patient. McConnell, who has served in the Senate for more than 40 years, was not publicly named in the records.
On Tuesday, Loomer, a far-right activist, declared McConnell “brain dead and hooked up to machines” and claimed there was a “cover-up.”
He also criticized his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, for visiting China during McConnell’s hospital stay.
The Chinese government confirmed that Chao met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on June 17, three days after McConnell was hospitalized.
A spokesman for Chao told the BBC on Tuesday evening that McConnell’s health “does not require his immediate return” but that McConnell later returned to the US.
“The Secretary was on a long-planned trip to China to support his family’s philanthropic efforts,” the spokesman said in a statement. he said. “He met with many people during the trip, including the US ambassador.”
In an effort to counter Loomer’s claims, several Republican colleagues released statements Tuesday saying they had spoken by phone with the former Senate leader.
A spokesman for Senate Leader John Thune said the two had “a lengthy and comprehensive conversation covering a variety of topics, including national security.”
