NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao went to China and stayed there, while her husband, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was hospitalized.
Although her condition remains a mystery as rumors swirl, a spokesperson for Chao told Fox News Digital that it was not a big deal for her to cancel the tour.
“The secretary was on a long planned trip to China to support relief efforts for his family,” the spokesman said. “During the trip, he met a number of people, including the American ambassador. The senator's health did not allow him to return to the US immediately.”
MCCONNELL WAS FOUND 'UNKNOWN' AT HOME A MONTH AGO AS THE CONDITION HAS BEEN UNKNOWN.
Former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who is the wife of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., traveled to China after being hospitalized and felt no need to “come back immediately” as there were rumors and speculation about the lawmaker's condition. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Getty Images)
Chao has returned to the US and McConnell has entered his third week of hospitalization. But exactly what his condition is and the timing of his return to the Senate has not been clarified.
His office is keeping mum on what's going on with the 84-year-old longest-serving Senate Republican leader in history, who is expected to retire at the end of his term this year. Instead, the space has been filled with online rumors that include speculation about what's really going on with the lawmaker.
Laura Loomer, a conservative analyst, said a “high-level source close to the White House” said McConnell was “brain dead” and that the lawmaker was “not coming back.”
HOUSE DEM URGES PUBLIC LEGISLATIVE ABSENCE AFTER GOP COLLEAGUE CUSTOMIZES MISCONFORMITY
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Loomer's claims.
His claim followed leaked audio from a June 14 phone call, the day McConnell was sent to the hospital, that revealed the longtime Senate Republican was “unconscious” and may have suffered a heart attack.
When asked about the veracity of Loomer's claims, McConnell's office shared with Fox News Digital the same statement it issued last week.
“Senator McConnell is grateful for the support he is receiving as he continues his recovery in the hospital,” a McConnell spokesperson said. “The senator continues to improve, and works closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate issues while the Senate is off.”
'SHUT UP NAMES': TRUMP'S SENATE MEETING CONTINUES SHOUTING GAME ON IRAN
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D., speaks at a press conference with other members of the Senate Republican leadership following a policy luncheon in Washington, DC, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Senate Republican leaders are working to end the rumor mill. Both Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D., and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said they had been on the phone with McConnell in the past 48 hours — the last time both top Republicans said they spoke to McConnell was a few days after he was hospitalized.
A spokesperson for Thune said the two spoke by phone on Monday, and that they “had a long and meaningful conversation that touched on various topics, including national security.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
And Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes said the No. 2 Senate Republican and McConnell spoke at length early Tuesday afternoon.
“Their call lasted about 20 minutes. They caught up on the latest news about Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court decision on federal spending limits,” Noyes said.
“They also discussed the Senate's July agenda, including the need to pass the NDAA and confirm President Trump's nominee for Director of National Intelligence,” he continued. “Senator McConnell was fully committed and determined to return to the Senate.”
