{"id":8130,"date":"2026-07-25T10:36:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T10:36:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130"},"modified":"2026-07-25T10:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T10:36:37","slug":"mcconnell-faces-growing-questions-about-absence-nearly-six-weeks-after-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130","title":{"rendered":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Scant details have not quieted rumors and online speculation about the former Senate Republican leader\u2019s condition.<\/strong><\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8127\">With the postseason far off but not out of mind, Nats fall to Diamondbacks<\/a><\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8129\" height=\"660\" src=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/5376a642ff952818f9d5fc39765bd6ab.jpg\" width=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/5376a642ff952818f9d5fc39765bd6ab.jpg 713w, https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/5376a642ff952818f9d5fc39765bd6ab-300x278.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figcaption>Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) sits with his wife, Elaine Chao, while holding what appears to be the July 12 edition of The Washington Post. (Office of Senator Mitch McConnell\/Reuters)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) is facing growing<b> <\/b>calls to be more transparent about his health nearly six weeks after he was hospitalized.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell, 84, has been absent from the Senate since he said he suffered a fall June 14. His office <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/mcconnell-photo-with-washington-post-page-fuels-ai-era-speculation\/\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/mcconnell-photo-with-washington-post-page-fuels-ai-era-speculation\/\">shared a photo<\/a> of McConnell holding The Washington Post on July 12, and McConnell said in a statement that he had left the hospital and moved to a rehabilitation center \u2014 but he did not say when he planned to return, offering only that he would not \u201cbe able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those scant details have not quieted rampant rumors and online speculation about McConnell\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n<p>Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bzFrpBEMPTk&amp;list=PLxGSJy98pRvIgxzOThR93HCD_5WSg756P&amp;index=1\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bzFrpBEMPTk&amp;list=PLxGSJy98pRvIgxzOThR93HCD_5WSg756P&amp;index=1\">said last week<\/a> that he had heard nothing from McConnell since he was hospitalized, despite sending a letter seeking an update on his condition. He urged McConnell to call into a news station for a few minutes or put out a short video to reassure his constituents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019ve been in a hospital for a month and you\u2019ve missed all the votes \u2026 you owe your boss, like anybody else out there who works, an explanation of what\u2019s been going on and when you\u2019ll get back,\u201d Beshear said.<\/p>\n<p>Scott Jennings, a longtime McConnell ally who worked on some of his reelection campaigns, urged McConnell on Thursday to \u201croutinely update his constituents on how he\u2019s doing\u201d and be transparent about the work he\u2019s doing while recovering. He said<b> <\/b>he expected McConnell to share an update on how he\u2019s doing in the coming days.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTruthfully, I think a little transparency on the front end here would have saved him a whole lot of grief,\u201d Jennings told CNN\u2019s \u201cThe Arena with Kasie Hunt.\u201d \u201cBut that didn\u2019t happen and they are where they are now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David Popp, a McConnell spokesman, said McConnell has continued to work during his absence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Senator continues to meet with staff regarding Senate and Kentucky business, including discussions on defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, constituent services and constituent federal grant requests,\u201d Popp said in a statement to The Washington Post. \u201cAs the Senator continues to improve in rehab, we will be sure to keep you updated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McConnell said July 12 that he did not break any bones when he fell and did not suffer a heart attack, a stroke, a hemorrhage or a concussion, but he has said little else about what happened to him.<\/p>\n<p>Popp referred to McConnell\u2019s earlier statement when asked when McConnell might return to the Senate or whether he planned to attend Tuesday\u2019s funeral for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), his longtime colleague, at Washington National Cathedral.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell said in his statement that \u201cfolks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven in the public eye, I feel that same instinct \u2014 I can\u2019t help it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell spent 18 years as the Republican leader in the Senate before stepping down early last year. He remained in the chamber to serve the final two years of his term, which ends in January.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Andy Barr (Kentucky) won the Republican primary to succeed McConnell in May and is heavily favored to win his seat in November. The Senate is scheduled to be in session for only 10 more weeks during McConnell\u2019s term as senators head home to campaign ahead of the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell\u2019s absence has narrowed Republicans\u2019 edge in the Senate, giving them an effective 52-47 majority as long as he is absent.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8124\">Trump swings back toward diplomacy in escalating war with Iran<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Sen. John Barrasso (Wyoming), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said earlier this month that they had spoken with McConnell, but some other Republican senators have raised questions about McConnell\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) cast doubt on the legitimacy of the photo that McConnell shared of himself \u2014 only to dismiss his comments later, saying he was just repeating a rumor he had heard. (The Post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/mcconnell-photo-with-washington-post-page-fuels-ai-era-speculation\/\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/mcconnell-photo-with-washington-post-page-fuels-ai-era-speculation\/\">reviewed the photo\u2019s metadata<\/a> and found it appeared it was taken July.)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not fun watching anybody age,\u201d Johnson told reporters. \u201cWe\u2019re all hoping Mitch recovers fully and comes back. I haven\u2019t talked to him, so I have no knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last week, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) wished McConnell a speedy recovery but also suggested he should disclose more about his condition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt a certain point you do have an obligation to your constituents and the country to tell them what\u2019s going on,\u201d Hawley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/josh-hawley-issues-blistering-rebuke-mitch-mcconnell-obligation-country\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/josh-hawley-issues-blistering-rebuke-mitch-mcconnell-obligation-country\">told Fox News<\/a>, saying he felt \u201ctotally in the dark\u201d about McConnell\u2019s status.<\/p>\n<p>McConnell is hardly the first senator to be away for an extended stretch at a time while ailing or in recovery.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) was absent for two months in 2023 while seeking treatment for depression. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) missed votes for nearly three months that year while battling shingles and faced calls to resign. She returned to the Senate but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/obituaries\/2023\/09\/29\/dianne-feinstein-california-senator-dead\/\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/obituaries\/2023\/09\/29\/dianne-feinstein-california-senator-dead\/\">died months later<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) did not vote during his final eight months in office before he died in 2018. And Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) did not vote for nearly a year after suffering a stroke in 2012. He <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/2chambers\/post\/in-video-sen-mark-kirk-describes-his-recovery\/2012\/05\/09\/gIQAyeO3CU_blog.html\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/2chambers\/post\/in-video-sen-mark-kirk-describes-his-recovery\/2012\/05\/09\/gIQAyeO3CU_blog.html\">released videos of himself relearning how to walk<\/a> before returning to the Senate and served out the rest of his term.<\/p>\n<p>Lester Munson, Kirk\u2019s chief of staff at the time, said Kirk was able to keep working even though he was not in the Capitol voting.<\/p>\n<p>Kirk worked with Sen. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), for instance, on an amendment to a defense policy bill to tough sanctions on Iran. Senators in both parties \u2014 includes Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Joe Manchin III (D-West Virginia) and McConnell \u2014 stepped up to help Kirk\u2019s office carry on, Munson said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think people kind of just assume \u2014 not really correctly \u2014 that if the senator\u2019s in the hospital or something like that, that they can\u2019t do their job,\u201d Munson said. \u201cThat\u2019s not entirely true. There\u2019s obviously some things they can\u2019t do \u2026 but a lot of other things continue to be carried on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kirk did not have to contend with social media speculation about his health and other online pressures in the same way that McConnell has, Munson said.<\/p>\n<p>The prediction market Polymarket, for instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/polymarket.com\/event\/mitch-mcconnell-votes-in-the-senate-by-july-31-20260707171829812\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/polymarket.com\/event\/mitch-mcconnell-votes-in-the-senate-by-july-31-20260707171829812\">allows users to bet on whether McConnell will vote<\/a> in the Senate by July 31. (The odds stood at 11 percent Friday evening.)<\/p>\n<p>McConnell is also much better-known than Kirk or other senators who have had extended absences from the chamber. His decades of service should earn his some grace while he recovers, Munson said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, this guy has given so much to the Senate over time and therefore so much to America, God bless him,\u201d Munson said. \u201cHe\u2019s got all the latitude in the world to deal with this problem.\u201d<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8121\">To track down government leakers, Trump supports pursuing journalists<\/a><\/p>\n<p><i>Alexei Koseff contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scant details have not quieted rumors and online speculation about the former Senate Republican leader\u2019s condition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Scant details have not quieted rumors and online speculation about the former Senate Republican leader\u2019s condition.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/5376a642ff952818f9d5fc39765bd6ab.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"713\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"660\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\"},\"headline\":\"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130\"},\"wordCount\":1258,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130\",\"name\":\"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg\",\"width\":713,\"height\":660,\"caption\":\"U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sits with his wife, former United States secretary of labor Elaine Chao, while holding what appears to be the July 12 sports section of the Washington Post in a photograph released by his office in Washington, D.C., U.S. July 12, 2026. Office of Senator Mitch McConnell\\\/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?p=8130#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Moving Insider USA\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/movinginsiderusa.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA","og_description":"Scant details have not quieted rumors and online speculation about the former Senate Republican leader\u2019s condition.","og_url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130","og_site_name":"Moving Insider USA","article_published_time":"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":713,"height":660,"url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/5376a642ff952818f9d5fc39765bd6ab.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03"},"headline":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall","datePublished":"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130"},"wordCount":1258,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg","articleSection":["Interesting"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130","name":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall - Moving Insider USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-25T10:36:37+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/735c020dbd0189056238a440b1faf35b.jpg","width":713,"height":660,"caption":"U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sits with his wife, former United States secretary of labor Elaine Chao, while holding what appears to be the July 12 sports section of the Washington Post in a photograph released by his office in Washington, D.C., U.S. July 12, 2026. Office of Senator Mitch McConnell\/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=8130#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/","name":"Moving Insider USA","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/22d40ab81790f6a361021763bb56ef03","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com"],"url":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}