Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, has issued a statement after returning to the United States from a trip to China, addressing questions about why she did not immediately return when her husband was hospitalized on June 14.
The statement emphasized that Chao was already abroad on a previously scheduled trip supporting her family’s philanthropic work when McConnell was admitted to the hospital, and that his condition at the time did not require her to cut the trip short.
“The secretary was on a long-planned trip in China to support her family’s philanthropic endeavors,” the statement, obtained by WLKY, began.
“During the trip, she met with a number of people, including the US ambassador. The Senator’s health did not warrant an immediate return to the US,” the statement continued.
The statement also noted that Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he is receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.
It did not provide any new information about his condition.
Chao returned to the United States earlier this week after spending roughly three weeks in China. She had begun her trip on June 12, just two days before her husband’s hospitalization.
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