Sen. Ron Johnson cast doubt on whether Sen. Mitch McConnell’s so-called “proof of life” photo was genuinely taken at his hospital bedside over the weekend.
“I just heard from some, some other source that was an older photo, so I really don’t know,” the Wisconsin politician, 71, claimed on Real America’s Voice on Monday, July 13. “I haven’t talked to Mitch. I sincerely wish his family well. I hope he can recover. Listen, it’s sad to watch people age, no matter who that person is.”
Us Weekly has reached out to McConnell’s representative for comment.
On Sunday, July 12, McConnell released a written statement about his health, alongside a photo of the politician with his wife, Elaine Chao, at his bedside. McConnell has been hospitalized since he was reportedly found unconscious at his home last month.
During Monday’s interview, Johnson said that he “disagreed on a host of things” with McConnell but recognized that the former Senate Majority Leader “loves his country” and “loves the Senate.”
“I wish him well. I hope he recovers,” Johnson added. “I hope he can come back and contribute to, and vote with, the president’s agenda.”
McConnell’s statement was seemingly released to squash fears about his health in the wake of Senate ally Lindsey Graham’s death at 71 on Saturday, July 11, of a suspected aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. (An aortic dissection is caused by a tear in the aorta, causing rapid blood loss.)
“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 tumors or hemorrhages,” McConnell wrote. “But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.”
He added, “In fact, with signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.”
McConnell also addressed complaints across the political aisle that he’d missed key votes in the Senate due to his illness. (McConnell is not running for reelection in Kentucky and will thus retire from the Senate in January 2027.)
“You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you,” the statement read in part. “And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do.”
Meanwhile, McConnell released a second statement on Sunday to acknowledge the death of South Carolina’s Sen. Graham, who served in the Senate from 2003 until his death on Saturday.
“Lindsey Graham was a good friend and a great American, and I was shocked and saddened by his passing,” McConnell wrote on Sunday. “His constituents and colleagues have counted on his straight talk, conviction, and boundless appetite for a worthy fight. The Senate will miss him, and Elaine and I are keeping his family in my prayers.”
