{"id":5716,"date":"2026-07-14T08:40:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T03:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=5716"},"modified":"2026-07-14T08:40:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T03:40:06","slug":"wapo-intern-fact-checks-mitch-mcconnell-hospital-photo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=5716","title":{"rendered":"WaPo Intern Fact-Checks Mitch McConnell Hospital Photo"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-body\">\n<div id=\"attachment_5742204\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5742204\" class=\"wp-image-5742204 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6.jpg\" alt=\"Washington Post, Mitch McConnell\" width=\"1581\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6.jpg 1581w, https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6-1200x820.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6-768x525.jpg 768w, https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6-1536x1049.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1581px) 100vw, 1581px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5742204\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">AP Photo\/Lauren Victoria Burke; Photo provided by Sen. Mitch McConnell\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>The Washington Post<\/em> got one of its interns to fact-check a photo of Sen. <strong>Mitch McConnell<\/strong> (R-KY) holding the paper\u2019s sports section amid continuing \u201conline speculation\u201d about his health.<\/p>\n<p>The 84-year-old senior senator from Kentucky is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/just-in-mitch-mcconnell-wont-seek-reelection-in-2026\/\">retiring<\/a>, having announced in February 2025 that he would not be running for re-election. He has served in the Senate since 1985 and is currently in his seventh term, making him Kentucky\u2019s longest-serving Senator. McConnell spent years as both Senate Majority and Minority Leader as the Republicans\u2019 electoral fortunes waxed and waned. In 2024, he stepped down from his party leadership role and was replaced by Sen. <strong>John Thune<\/strong> (R-SD).<\/p>\n<p>McConnell has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/shock-report-says-mitch-mcconnell-was-found-unconscious-after-possible-heart-attack-last-month\/\">hospitalized<\/a> for several weeks. Several Republicans have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/tv\/cnn-duped-by-phony-gop-congressman-claiming-to-have-spoken-to-mitch-mcconnell\/\">said they have spoken to him<\/a> on the phone, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/tv\/alyssa-farah-griffin-reveals-the-one-thing-mitch-mcconnell-must-do-to-clear-up-rampant-speculation-about-his-health\/\">rumors and conspiracy theories<\/a> have flourished online as he has remained out of the public eye. Kentucky Gov.<strong> Andy Beshear<\/strong> (D) has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/andy-beshear-demands-update-on-mitch-mcconnells-health-direct-from-the-source\/\">repeatedly<\/a> called for McConnell to provide a full update on his health to \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/beshear-calls-on-mcconnell-to-end-the-crazy-speculation-as-senators-spokesperson-gives-update\/\">end the crazy speculation<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, the senator\u2019s office has released several statements and then on Sunday, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/just-in-sen-mitch-mcconnell-shares-health-update-with-new-hospital-photo\/\">photo<\/a> of him in the hospital with his wife, former Transportation Secretary <strong>Elaine Chao<\/strong>, by his side. In the photo, McConnell is smiling, wearing a button-down shirt and jeans, and holding a newspaper on his lap.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/just-in-sen-mitch-mcconnell-shares-health-update-with-new-hospital-photo\/\">statement<\/a> released from his office, McConnell said he was \u201cbriefly unconscious\u201d and then taken to the hospital, where he has been recovering and \u201cdeal[ing] with a mild case of pneumonia,\u201d but he did not break any bones, have a concussion, heart attack, or stroke.<\/p>\n<p>The newspaper in McConnell\u2019s lap was quickly identified as Sunday\u2019s sports section from the <em>Post<\/em>, but the \u201cproof of life\u201d photo did little to quell the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/nobodys-buying-this-tmz-joins-critics-casting-doubt-on-mitch-mcconnell-photo\/\">chatter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Jeff Bezos<\/strong>-owned paper weighed in Monday with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/mcconnell-photo-with-washington-post-page-fuels-ai-era-speculation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">report<\/a> by<strong> Ben Bindlay<\/strong>, who is identified at the end of the article as \u201can intern on The Washington Post\u2019s politics team, covering campaigns and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bindlay confirmed that the newspaper seen in McConnell\u2019s photo was \u201cThe Post\u2019s July 12 Sports section, featuring Chris Hacopian, the Washington Nationals\u2019 selection with the No. 11 pick in this year\u2019s MLB draft,\u201d and included<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5742212\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5742212\" class=\"wp-image-5742212 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026-679x1200.jpeg\" alt=\"Washington Post Sports Section, July 12, 2026\" width=\"679\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026-679x1200.jpeg 679w, https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026-170x300.jpeg 170w, https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026-768x1357.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026-869x1536.jpeg 869w, https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/wapo-sports-section-7-12-2026.jpeg 967w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5742212\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Screenshot via The Washington Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <em>Post<\/em> reached out to McConnell\u2019s office to request a copy of the original photo, Bindlay wrote, and reviewed it Monday evening, finding that \u201cits metadata appears to show it was taken Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn independent digital forensics expert also said there appeared to be no evidence that the image is fake,\u201d Bindlay added, citing an analysis conducted by <strong>Hany Farid<\/strong>, a digital forensics professor at the University of California at Berkeley.<\/p>\n<p>Farid \u201cexamined the photo and said there is no evidence that the image is fake or AI generated,\u201d wrote Bindlay, and \u201csaid that neither McConnell\u2019s nor Chao\u2019s face looks suspicious, according to an analytical model he used to examine the image.\u201d The professor also found that \u201cthe picture\u2019s lighting is plausible and consistent,\u201d and matched the image in the photo with the <em>Post\u2019s<\/em> Sports section from Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the social media posts that are fueling the speculation have included AI-generated changes, Farid told the Post, including alterations to the text that differed from the print copy, but the resolution was too low to read the text legibly in the original photo.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/laura-loomers-tweet-bragging-about-joining-pentagon-press-corps-likely-violates-one-of-hegseths-new-rules\/\">Far-right influencer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/opinion\/laura-loomer-drops-so-many-whoppers-in-new-interview-that-magazine-issues-a-disclaimer-warning-readers\/\">conspiracy theorist<\/a> <strong>Laura Loomer<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LauraLoomer\/status\/2076426491781673319?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">declared<\/a> in a tweet Sunday evening that the photo was \u201cbullsh*t\u201d and looked \u201cAI generated,\u201d accusing McConnell\u2019s staff of being \u201cliars.\u201d When Bindlay reached Loomer by phone on Monday, he noted that she was standing by her accusations even though \u201cshe did not provide substantiating evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bindlay addressed another conspiracy theory circulating online: that the photo of McConnell is legitimate, but is several years old.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne viral post, with more than 4 million views, claimed without evidence that Sunday\u2019s photo of McConnell is nearly identical to a photo of him from 2023,\u201d he wrote, but \u201cThe Post could not find any such picture.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>New: The Mediaite One-Sheet &#8220;Newsletter of Newsletters&#8221;<\/strong><br \/>Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/subscribe\">Subscribe now!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\nn.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;\nn.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\nt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,\ndocument,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AP Photo\/Lauren Victoria Burke; Photo provided by Sen. Mitch McConnell\u2019s office. The Washington Post got one of its interns to fact-check a photo of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) holding the paper\u2019s sports section amid continuing \u201conline speculation\u201d about his health. The 84-year-old senior senator from Kentucky is retiring, having announced in February 2025 that he&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5717,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-6.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}