WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell has been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue recovering at home following a fall that led to his hospitalization in June, the Kentucky Republican said, marking the latest update on the health of the former Senate Republican leader after weeks away from public view.
McConnell, 84, said he left the rehabilitation facility on Thursday and, on the advice of his physicians, will continue an intensive physical therapy program from home during the Senate's state work period. He said he intends to remain engaged with his staff and Senate colleagues while recovering but did not provide a timetable for returning to the Capitol.
"Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home," McConnell said in a statement. He thanked doctors, nurses, therapists and hospital staff, as well as friends, colleagues and Kentuckians who had offered support during his recovery.
McConnell has been absent from the Senate since mid-June, when he was hospitalized after a fall at his home that briefly left him unconscious. In a statement released in July, he said doctors determined he had not suffered a heart attack, stroke, concussion or broken bones. He also disclosed that he developed a mild case of pneumonia while hospitalized and later entered a rehabilitation facility for physical therapy.
Late last month, the Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell was undergoing multiple daily physical therapy sessions aimed at rebuilding strength and reducing the risk of future falls, but had not yet been medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility or return to the Senate.
McConnell said his doctors now advised him to continue that rehabilitation regimen from home during the Senate recess. The Senate is entering a weeks-long state work period, reducing the likelihood of floor votes in the immediate future.
The veteran lawmaker stepped down as the Senate Republican leader after the 2024 election cycle but continues to serve as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. He has said he plans to complete his current Senate term, which ends in January 2027.
Questions about McConnell's health have intensified during his extended absence, with critics calling for greater transparency. McConnell has acknowledged his reluctance to discuss his medical condition publicly but has maintained that he remains involved in Senate business while recovering. His office has not announced when he expects to resume in-person duties on Capitol Hill.
