PoliticsMitch McConnell Emerges on Senate Floor in Wheelchair Months After Hospitalization: Photos
Mitch McConnell was hospitalized in June after falling 'briefly unconscious' in his Washington, D.C., home.
Sept. 14 2026, Published 8:08 p.m. ET
Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate floor on Monday, September 14, ending a months-long medical absence.
The Kentucky Republican emerged in a wheelchair after being hospitalized in June following a fall and brief loss of consciousness.
"Today, I'll cast my first Senate vote since I took a bad fall back in June. I'm really looking forward to being back on the Senate floor and seeing my colleagues," McConnell said in a statement, as pictures and videos surfaced of the 84-year-old being pushed around by a helper.
Mitch McConnell Says Recovery Has Been 'Frustrating'
Mitch McConnell last cast a Senate vote on June 11, days before his hospitalization.
His message continued: "My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven't made it any easier. I'm still not quite back to 100 [percent], but I've assured Leader Thune that, as I continue with physical therapy on the advice of my doctors, I will do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me."
McConnell last cast a Senate vote on June 11. He spent weeks in recovery and under care at a rehabilitation center before explaining what had happened.
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Mitch McConnell's prolonged medical absence sparked widespread scrutiny among political commentators and critics.
The politician finally broke his silence in July with a statement explaining that he was "briefly unconscious" after a fall that resulted in his hospitalization.
At the time, he said he had not broken any bones, suffered a concussion, had a heart attack or stroke, nor any tumors or hemorrhages.
Mitch McConnell's health woes have been evident in recent years.
But the fall followed a series of medical incidents for the 84-year-old former Senate majority leader. In 2023, McConnell froze while speaking to reporters and appeared unable to speak for nearly 30 seconds. He has also suffered a series of falls, including one that resulted in a concussion and nearly six-week hospital stay.
His latest absence fueled a swirl of conspiracy theories about his health, and prompted repeated calls by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, for McConnell to provide proof of his fitness for office. "Kentuckians are just asking you to be honest," Beshear wrote in July.
McConnell announced in 2025 he would not seek another term in office. He is due to leave office at the end of the current Congress after more than four decades on Capitol Hill.
