Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is alert and has taken phone calls, discussing a variety of topics, according to reports.
CNN’s Scott Jennings said he spoke with his “old friend” McConnell on Tuesday morning, asserting that they discussed a variety of topics for nearly 20 minutes.
He wrote, “I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 20 minutes … about IRAN, UKRAINE, the unfolding situation in MAINE, my visit to the TR Presidential Library, and even a little bit of Senate history.”
Jennings added, “I told him we want to see him back at work as soon as possible.”
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said the leader spoke with McConnell on Monday by phone, having a lengthy, “substantive conversation” that also covered a variety of topics, including national security.
These reports veer dramatically from claims made by conservative activist Laura Loomer and journalist Desiree Townsend, both of whom claimed Monday that McConnell had been declared “brain dead,” although they did not provide specific sources. His team responded and adamantly denied the allegations. A spokesperson for McConnell said that on the contrary, the 84-year-old senator continues to improve in the hospital and is working with his staff.
“Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,” the spokesperson told Breitbart News. “The Senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
McConnell was admitted to the hospital on June 14, but his specific health condition remains largely a mystery. He has suffered from a concussion as well as falls over the past few years and, infamously, had two inexplicable freeze-ups at the podium.
Notably, McConnell’s wife, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who has ties to China, traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng only three days after her husband was rushed to the hospital, her trip raising eyebrows.
