As speculation grew about Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell's health in early July 2026, his office released a photograph of the Republican senator alongside his wife, Elaine Chao. The photograph appeared to be taken on July 12, based on the newspaper McConnell held in his hand.
However, the photograph did not curb the speculation that McConnell was either dead or dying. X's AI tool Grok, when prompted by users on the social media site, said it was created using artificial intelligence, that McConnell's office released only a text statement, that the image contained SynthID from Gemini or OpenAI, and that other outlets debunked the image:
Fact-checkers (including Cincinnati Enquirer and others) confirmed it using OpenAI's verification tool, which detected SynthID watermarks, plus clear visual errors like inconsistent medical tubes and background details. McConnell's office released only a **text statement** — no photo. He's reportedly recovering in rehab after a fall and mild pneumonia, and plans to finish his term.
Snopes readers also asked us to confirm whether the photograph in question was actually from 2023, as an image of McConnell wearing the same shirt that year spread.
Below, we investigate each claim about the photograph in question and add additional context. We found it highly unlikely that the photograph was created using AI, but it is possible that it was edited in some small ways. We have reached out to McConnell's office to get video footage of the senator and will update this story accordingly.
Did McConnell's office release only a text statement?
This is false. The image was available on McConnell's Senate website homepage and his official Facebook page. The Facebook post read, in part:
You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct – I can't help it.
But at the same time, I've had more than my share of experience with physical vulnerabilities. Surviving childhood polio meant spending my entire life with mobility challenges. They haven't exactly gotten easier to manage with age. And last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital.
My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke. I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I've also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.
I can assure you that I've been a good patient. At my age, I tend to do what my doctors tell me to do. I've submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident. And I'm continuing to do everything they ask to speed my recovery. In fact, with signs of continued progress, I've been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I'll keep regaining my strength.
(Mitch McConnell's office)
The rumor likely stemmed from the fact that the webpage with McConnell's statement does not feature a photograph. The same statement also contained remarks from McConnell's attending physician, whose name was not included. The physician said McConnell sustained minor injuries in a fall at home.
Additionally, Grok's claim that the Cincinnati Enquirer debunked the above photo was incorrect. The Enquirer was covering a different fake image that Snopes previously debunked.
Does the image contain SynthID?
Snopes submitted the image to Google Gemini to determine whether it was created using Google's AI software. All images generated with Gemini contain a hidden watermark called a SynthID that can be used to identify them later. Gemini found no SynthID in the image, indicating Google's tools did not generate it.
We also ran the image through OpenAI's verification tool, which found no SynthID watermark originating from OpenAI, nor a C2PA manifest (data structure) originating from OpenAI.
What date was the image taken?
Numerous Snopes readers questioned whether the image was from 2023, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he'd been told by "a source" that it was an older photo. Many people online claimed the red-checked shirt McConnell wore was the same one shown in a 2023 photograph of the senator.
Indeed, the shirt appears to have the same pattern. However, this is not evidence that the photograph was taken several years ago. McConnell could be wearing the shirt several years later.
In the photo, McConnell is holding the sports section of The Washington Post from July 12, 2026, in his right hand. The photograph from a story about baseball is on the front page, with the headline "Homegrown talent." The text visible by McConnell's hand reads, "Noskova claims title in all-Czech showdown."
Are there other signs that the image was AI-generated?
Snopes looked closely at various elements of the image, including the position of McConnell's hand on the newspaper and his knee, Chao's arm, and the shadows around them. We could not find any evidence to prove the image was AI-generated.
We also analyzed the image using AI-detection tools. WasItAI and UndetectableAI were confident that no AI was used in creating the image, while SightEngine and Illumanirty said there was a low probability that AI was used. (Research shows AI-detection software is imperfect and readers should consider the tools' results with skepticism.)
The image is of low quality, making it difficult to determine key details when we zoom in. While the image displays no clear signs of AI generation, we could not definitively rule out other forms of digital alteration. Until we receive a response from McConnell's staff and obtain video footage of McConnell, we leave this claim unrated.
For further reading, Snopes has covered numerous rumors about McConnell, including recent claims about his alleged death.