Mitch McConnellthe longest-serving senator in Kentucky history, is making headlines again after being hospitalized in Washington, DC. The 84-year-old lawmaker was admitted on June 14, 2026, according to his office, which said he was receiving medical care but did not provide additional details about his condition.
The latest health crisis comes after a series of medical incidents in recent years, including multiple falls, public frostbites and a hospitalization for flu-like symptoms earlier in 2026.
Earlier in 2025, on February 20 – his birthday – McConnell announced he would not seek re-election in 2026, marking the end of a career in the Senate that has lasted nearly four decades. The politician shared his decision while sitting on the Senate floor, saying, “Seven times my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate. Each intervening day I have been humbled by the trust they have placed in me to conduct their business here. Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
In light of his decision to step down after a long term in office, we’ve gathered all the details we know about McConnell’s health. Keep reading to learn more about McConnell’s health history.
Mitch McConnell is in a wheelchair after falling several times today pic.twitter.com/pDd03oBgQl
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) February 5, 2025
Mitch McConnell’s Falls
McConnell suffered another fall in the hallway of a Senate office on October 16, 2025, while on his way to cast votes. Footage shows him grabbing an assistant’s arm before losing his balance and falling. He was quickly helped and voted, with his office declaring he was “ready to vote again.”
This latest fall adds to a disturbing pattern of incidents: McConnell has previously broken his shoulder (2019), suffered a concussion and rib injury after a fall in 2023, slipped while exiting a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport later that same year, and in late 2024 he hurt his wrist and cut his face at a Senate event.
In February 2025, he fell twice in the Capitol after voting, briefly requiring a wheelchair. A spokesperson for McConnell’s team assured the public that he was “doing well” and pointed out that the “lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his normal work schedule,” according to NBC News.
Mitch McConnell’s heart surgery
In 2003, McConnell underwent elective coronary artery bypass surgery, per Roll call. Dr. Alan Spier noted at the time that the politician’s postoperative course would be “uncomplicated and the prognosis for full and indefinite recovery is excellent.”
Mitch McConnell’s polio history
When he was a toddler, McConnell suffered a polio attack in 1944 and the disease paralyzed his upper left leg. Although paralysis is a less common side effect of the disease, post-polio syndrome can haunt a patient for years after they recover from the virus.
In an old campaign ad, McConnell pointed out that his family “nearly went bankrupt” trying to pay for costs related to his polio.
Is Mitch McConnell retiring?
Yes, on February 20, 2025, McConnell officially announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, saying that his current term in the Senate (ending in January 2027) will be his last.
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