Mitch McConnell returns home weeks after hospital admission sparked health speculation

US Senator Mitch McConnell says he has returned home nearly two months after being admitted to hospital, where he will continue working for now.

The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican's whereabouts and state of health have been the subject of intense speculation for weeks, with few details being given.

Last month, McConnell said he had been moved to a rehabilitation centre. He also revealed he had been hospitalised due to a fall and had suffered a "mild case of pneumonia".

"I'll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I'll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I've received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff," he also said, referring to his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

McConnell's staff said he had been admitted to hospital for treatment on 14 June but little was said about the state of his health until 12 July, when he released a statement saying he had been "briefly unconscious" after a fall.

Once admitted to hospital, he said he "submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident".

His office also released a photo on 27 July of McConnell sitting and smiling alongside his wife.

A polio survivor, McConnell has faced a number of health challenges in recent years.

In 2024, he was injured after tripping outside a Senate lunch event, and earlier this year he was admitted to hospital for flu.

McConnell, who is the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history, has said he will retire in January at the end of his term in the Senate, where he was a major power broker for decades.