US Senator Mitch McConnell says absence due to fall and pneumonia

US Senator Mitch McConnell says absence due to fall and pneumoniaImage source, Office of Mitch McConnellImage caption, McConnell released a photo of himself with his wife alongside Sunday's statementByAna FaguyWashingtonPublished12 July 2026, 22:51 BSTUpdated 19 minutes agoUS Senator Mitch McConnell says he will not be returning to the Senate "quite yet" after suffering from a fall and "a mild case of pneumonia". It is the first statement from the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican after weeks of speculation about his health, following his admission to hospital in mid-June.In addition to the statement, McConnell released a photo of himself with his wife holding what appeared to be Sunday's Washington Post newspaper."You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older," he said in a written statement from his office on Sunday."Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct – I can't help it."McConnell also referenced his childhood polio and the ongoing "mobility challenges" he faces as a result."They haven't exactly gotten easier to manage with age. And last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital," he said."My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke. I don't have any tumours or haemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital," the statement read."While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I've also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia."The statement said McConnell had been moved from hospital care to a rehabilitation centre."As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won't be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet."Calls for information about the condition of McConnell, who holds...