Thune is ‘hopeful’ Mitch McConnell will return this week

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday he hopes his predecessor as top Republican, Mitch McConnell, returns this week from a hospitalization.

Thune initially said he had not yet spoken directly with the 84-year-old Kentuckian but later said the two had spoken.

"He sounded good," Thune said. "He wants to be back, but I'll defer to his staff on when."

Earlier in the day, when asked about McConnell’s condition, Thune told reporters, “I’m hopeful that he’ll be back this week.”

A McConnell spokesperson said Sunday that he had been admitted to the hospital but did not provide details on his condition or why he was hospitalized — a break from recent prior instances where the seven-term senator was hospitalized.

That spokesperson, David Popp, said in a new statement Monday that McConnell "is fully engaged with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters and is very appreciative of the outstanding care he is receiving.”

A former McConnell staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity was told the senator was doing much better Monday without any further details on what put him in the hospital.

Thune said he did not expect McConnell to miss a step once he returns: "He's clearly dialed in on what's going on"

Daniel Desrochers contributed to this report.