Sen. Mitch McConnell Hospitalized After Flu-Like Symptoms Office Says

By Blessing Nweke

Sen. Mitch McConnell,  was hospitalized Monday night after experiencing what his office described as “flu-like symptoms,” prompting renewed attention on the health and age of lawmakers in Washington.

“In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” spokesman David Popp said in a statement Tuesday. Popp added that McConnell’s “prognosis is positive” and that the senator is grateful for the care he is receiving. According to the statement, McConnell remains in regular contact with his staff and expects to return to Senate business.

McConnell, 83, announced last year that he will retire at the end of his current term and will not seek re-election in 2026. He previously served as Senate Republican leader for longer than any other lawmaker in U.S. history and is among the oldest sitting senators.

Questions about McConnell’s health have surfaced periodically in recent years. He has frozen on camera during public appearances, sustained a concussion after a fall in December 2023, and fractured his shoulder in 2019 after tripping at his home in Kentucky. He stepped down as Senate Republican leader in November 2024.

Since leaving leadership, McConnell has taken a more openly critical stance toward the Trump administration than he did during President Donald Trump’s first term. He voted against three of Trump’s high-profile nominees, including being the sole Republican to oppose Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation as director of national intelligence, and he has publicly criticized tariffs central to Trump’s economic agenda.

McConnell’s hospitalization comes amid broader scrutiny of lawmakers’ ages. Two dozen members of Congress are 80 or older, according to an NBC News review, and more than half plan to seek re-election. Concerns over aging leadership have intensified in recent years, fueled by health issues among senior officials and public calls for age limits in federal office.