McConnell's fellow Republican makes bombshell claim about hospital photo

By PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 13:53, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 13:59, 14 July 2026 The photo released to settle questions about Mitch McConnell's health is not current, a senior Republican senator said.  After weeks of silence from McConnell's office about his hospitalization and absence from the Senate, the 84-year-old posted a photo of himself holding a Sunday newspaper, while claiming a fall had left him 'briefly unconscious.' In the photo, McConnell sits up in a hospital bed beside his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, holding the front of Sunday's Washington Post sports section, an old device meant to date a picture and prove it was taken that day.  But Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told Real America's Voice on Monday evening that 'sources' told him the photo of McConnell was old.  'I just heard from some, some other source that was an older photo, so I really don’t know,' Johnson told host Eric Bolling.  'I haven’t talked to Mitch, um, I sincerely wish his family well. I hope he can recover,' Johnson added. 'Listen—it’s sad to watch people age, no matter who that person is.' Johnson and McConnell have served together for over 16 years and have often been at odds. Johnson in the past has aligned himself with Trump over the former Senate leader.  Johnson backed off the remarks hours later, posting on X that viewers should 'beware of clickbait' and watch the full interview, before wishing McConnell a full recovery.