Inside the McConnell health rumor mill

According to Axios, Senate Republican leaders say they've spoken with Mitch McConnell in recent days, pushing back on a swirl of online speculation about the Kentucky senator's health. McConnell has been hospitalized for roughly three weeks with little public information about his condition. Majority Leader John Thune, Majority Whip John Barrasso, and former McConnell aide Scott Jennings each went public on Tuesday, describing lengthy, substantive phone conversations covering national security, Senate races, and foreign policy. The outreach followed claims from prominent MAGA voices, including Laura Loomer, who alleged without evidence that the senator is incapacitated, and Glenn Beck, who demanded transparency. Axios notes a reported EMS recording from the day of his hospitalization referenced cardiac arrest and an unconscious person at McConnell's address, though there's been no official confirmation of the cause. McConnell's office says he continues to improve and is working with staff while the Senate is out of session.

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