McConnell hospitalized as questions remain about his condition

Sen. Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital Sunday, his spokesperson David Popp said, without giving a reason for the hospitalization or any prognosis. The development puts renewed attention on the health of the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican, a longtime Senate power whose final term ends in January, according to The Associated Press.

Popp said in a statement that McConnell had been admitted that morning and was receiving “excellent care,” AP reported. The statement did not say whether McConnell was hospitalized in Washington, Kentucky or another location.

McConnell, a Republican first elected to the Senate in 1984, led his party in the chamber from 2007 until last year, according to AP. During that stretch, he served as both Senate majority leader and minority leader and became the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history.

Although he stepped down from party leadership, McConnell has continued working in the Senate during his final term. AP reported that he has attended work when the chamber is in session and has recently chaired public hearings as head of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense, where he has questioned administration officials.

Health concerns have followed earlier falls

McConnell’s health has drawn scrutiny in recent years, AP reported. In December 2024, he fell while leaving a Republican luncheon and sprained his wrist.

In March 2023, McConnell was hospitalized with a concussion after falling at a Washington hotel, according to AP. He missed several weeks of Senate work after that incident.

After returning to work in 2023, McConnell twice paused during news conferences that summer and appeared unable to continue speaking before aides and colleagues stepped in to help, AP reported.

McConnell has said previously that he had polio as a young child and has long dealt with some difficulty walking and climbing stairs as an adult, according to AP. He also fell at his Kentucky home in 2019 and later underwent surgery for a fractured shoulder.

AP reported that McConnell has at times used a wheelchair to get around the Capitol. As a former congressional leader, he is also regularly accompanied by a security detail.

No additional medical details were immediately released Sunday. AP reported that Popp’s statement did not address the cause of McConnell’s hospitalization, how long he might remain in care or whether the episode would affect his Senate schedule.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.