Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks and his team won’t say why. Here’s what we know

By Ellis Kim, Ted Barrett, Lauren Fox, CNN

(CNN) — US Sen. Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks and it’s still not clear why he was admitted or what his condition is.

Aides for the Kentucky Republican have been fiercely protective of his condition – publicly and privately – during his hospitalization.

Despite requests for updates from CNN, his office has not disclosed a medical reason for the hospitalization or provided specifics on his current health status beyond saying last week that he “continues to improve” and “is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters.”

The lack of information has sparked questions over McConnell’s health – and has led to speculation and rumors online that his health had significantly deteoriated.

On Tuesday, however, in an apparent effort to pushback on those rumors, a number of high-profile Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, put out statements saying they have recently spoken with McConnell. McConnell’s office pointed to the statements and said, “as the senator continues to recover, we will be sure to keep you updated.”

When was McConnell first hospitalized?

The former Senate Majority Leader, who is 84 years old, was admitted to the hospital on the morning of Sunday, June 14.

Spokesperson David Popp said in a statement at the time, “Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care.”

What is the latest that his team has said?

McConnell’s office issued its latest statement on July 2, indicating he remained hospitalized. It has either repeated that statement or pointed back to it in response to subsequent inquiries, and did so again on Tuesday.

A spokesperson said, “Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”

Has anyone spoken with him since he’s been in the hospital?

A number of high-profile Republicans said on Tuesday that they have recently spoken with McConnell.

A spokesperson for Thune said the Senate Majority Leader spoke to McConnell by phone on Monday. “They had a lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics including national security,” the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso said that he spoke with McConnell this afternoon for about 20 minutes and that the Kentucky Republican “was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”

“They caught up about the latest news impacting Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits. They also discussed the Senate’s July work period, including the need to pass the NDAA and confirm President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence,” Kate Noyes, the Barrasso spokesperson, said in a statement.

CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings also posted on X Tuesday that he spoke with McConnell earlier in the day about a wide range of topics.

“I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital,” Jennings wrote, saying that they spoke about Iran, Ukraine and “even a little bit of Senate history.”

Thune and Barrasso had also both previously said they had spoken to McConnell after he was admitted to the hospital.

Do we know anything about what led to the hospitalization?

It remains unclear what led to the hospitalization.

Earlier this month independent journalist Desiree Townsend shared an EMS audio recording on X indicating that emergency responders were called to McConnell’s Washington DC home for an “unconscious” person the same day he was hospitalized.

In the audio, the dispatcher says the call is for a “cardiac arrest” and a paramedic is heard saying, “CPR in progress.”

McConnell’s name is not mentioned in the recording, but the address that paramedics responded to is known to be his address. CNN has not confirmed the details of what dispatchers and medics described in the audio.

Asked at the time about the audio, a McConnell spokesperson said they would keep reporters updated on the senator’s condition.

Does he have any known pre-existing health issues?

McConnell is a childhood polio survivor. He has also faced a series of health issues in recent years. In March 2023, he suffered a 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.

What has happened in the Senate since he’s been gone?

McConnell has missed some high-profile Senate votes during his hospitalization, including one to pass a major housing affordability bill and votes to check President Donald Trump’s ability to wage war in Iran. Trump has not yet signed the housing bill, which passed both the House and Senate. It is expected to become law if he does not veto the legislation.

The chamber has also been in recess for parts of McConnell’s hospitalization. Senators have been working in their home states since June 29 and won’t return to DC until July 13.

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CNN’s Lauren Fox contributed to this report