Mitch McConnell ‘wants to be back’ on Capitol Hill after hospitalization, GOP leader says

By Ted Barrett, Manu Raju, CNN

(CNN) — Sen. Mitch McConnell has spoken to GOP leaders and informed them he wants to return to the chamber as soon as this week after the 84-year-old Kentuckian was admitted to the hospital this weekend for an undisclosed medical reason.

The former GOP leader’s office has refused to say what caused McConnell to be hospitalized or provide any details about his condition.

But on Monday evening, he spoke to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso and checked in about the floor schedule, though the leaders also declined to comment about details about the hospitalization.

Thune told CNN on Monday that when he spoke to McConnell he “sounded good.

“He wants to be back, but I’ll defer to his staff on when,” he said. “He’s clearly dialed into what’s going on. He’s following the stuff we’re doing this week.”

McConnell was admitted to a hospital Sunday morning. A statement from a spokesperson for the Kentucky Republican did not address the cause of the hospitalization or his condition. The spokesperson said that McConnell was receiving “excellent care.”

Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, told CNN that he spoke Monday with McConnell, who he said was “good,” and “looking forward to getting back.”

“He said he wants to get back this week,” Barrasso said. “We’ll see, time will tell, but he’s hoping to be back this week.”

Asked what caused his sickness or injury, Barrasso did not say. But he said 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, a childhood polio survivor, has faced a series of health issues in recent years. In March 2023, he suffered a concussion and broken ribs after a fall. Months later, he froze midsentence during a news conference. CNN later reported he had suffered two other falls earlier that year.

Sen. John Kennedy said he texted McConnell last night and hasn’t heard back, but called him “tough as a bald owl” and predicted he’ll recover.

Sen. Susan Collins told CNN she hasn’t spoken with McConnell since his hospitalization but said “oh definitely” when asked if she expects him to be back.

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CNN’s Alison Main, Ellis Kim and Morgan Rimmer contributed.

This story has been updated with additional details.