Fact Check: Did Trump explain why Mitch McConnell missed GOP midterm convention?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid debates over Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell's absence from the 2026 Republican Midterm Convention, a rumor spread on social media, claiming that President Donald Trump, in a social media post, explained the senator’s absence. The claim has drawn questions and speculation, with many calling for verification.
Claim: Trump explained Mitch McConnell's absence from Republican Convention
The rumor spread as a screenshot claiming to show a post by the president on his official Truth Social handle.
The alleged post read, “I just spoke with Mitch McConnell on the phone for 20 minutes-a fantastic, high-level call! He called to explain the totally valid, very serious reasons why he couldn't make it to our beautiful, historic convention today, and believe me, he wanted to be here VERY BADLY!"
"First of all, the hospice security guards locked the main doors right as he was walking out! He was fully dressed, suit on, moving at top speed, but the strict facility staff refused to hit the green button!"
"A total lockdown situation, very unfair! And then, when he tried to make a break for the exit anyway, his heavy-duty IV drip line got snagged on the doorframe and yanked him right back into the hallway!"
"A total mechanical failure beyond his control! I told him: 'Mitch, don't worry about it at all, we completely understand!' He didn't say much back-mostly just heavy breathing and a little high-tech monitor beeping on the line-but it was a great, very warm conversation! WE FORGIVE MITCH! HE TRIED HIS BEST TO GET HERE!”
While most users commenting under the post appeared to believe the post is authentic, a few others dismissed it as fake and called for a fact check.
Fact Check: Donald Trump made no such post
The screenshot, however, is fake and fabricated, as Trump has no such post as of this writing.
A search of his official Truth Social handle for the claim did not show any posts that matched the text in the screenshot. Also, all of Trump’s Truth Social posts are automatically archived by commentary accounts on X. No such post was there either.
A search on Google for relevant keywords yielded no credible reports by prominent news media outlets, which, if true, would have been widely covered.
Additionally, the screenshot included several signs that it was fake, including a watermark stating, ‘@Mrs Putin Satire,’ and the year mentioned under the post is ‘22026’ instead of ‘2026.’
