Newly surfaced video shows former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell being taken by stretcher to an ambulance outside his Washington, DC, residence after what was described as an apparent cardiac arrest. According to CNN, the footage was recorded by a neighbor on the morning of June 14 as emergency crews arrived to assist the Kentucky senator.
McConnell’s face is not visible
The clip was filmed from afar, and McConnell’s face cannot be seen. The person on the stretcher appears with an orange blanket covering the lower legs, while the feet remain visible. CNN also reported that another neighbor said McConnell was not wearing an oxygen mask as he was placed onto the stretcher. McConnell, 84, was taken to a hospital after a medical emergency at his home. Emergency medical recordings indicated that paramedics were responding to a report of an unconscious person believed to have experienced “cardiac arrest,” with one medic saying there was “CPR in progress” at the location. The senator was not identified by name in the call, and his office has not confirmed the reason for the hospitalization, stating only that he is receiving “excellent care.”
McConnell’s absence fuels retirement rumors
Public speculation about McConnell’s health has grown in recent days, fueled in part by Donald Trump-aligned MAGA figures, including Laura Loomer, who have claimed McConnell is “brain dead.” McConnell has not been present in the Senate for nearly a month while he continues recovering in the hospital. The 84-year-old senator is not running for reelection this November and is expected to retire when his term concludes in January. “In a situation where perhaps time is of the essence, there seems to be a little bit more urgency, but there was no urgency here,” one of McConnell’s neighbors told CNN.
No new details on McConnell’s health
McConnell’s staff has declined to provide additional details about his condition or what led to his hospitalization. Senate Republican leaders, friends and former colleagues have said they have spoken with McConnell in recent days, but they have not shared substantive updates about his health. The incident adds to a series of medical concerns involving McConnell, who was hospitalized for more than a week earlier this year with what aides described as “flu-like symptoms.”
Health incidents raise new concerns
Concerns about McConnell’s health became a national issue in 2023, when he froze during televised appearances on more than one occasion and appeared temporarily unable to answer reporters’ questions. He has also suffered multiple falls in recent years, including one at a Washington dinner event in March 2023 that resulted in a concussion. More recently, McConnell has been seen at the Capitol accompanied by aides and using a wheelchair. First elected to the Senate in 1984, he served as Senate Republican leader from 2007 to 2025, becoming the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. His spokesperson has not released a statement in response to the video.
