Elaine Chao Limits Social Media Replies as McConnell Remains Hospitalized
Former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has blocked public comments on her X posts while Senator Mitch McConnell continues rehab after a fall.
Elaine Chao used X to announce her acceptance of the Donald D. Engen Trophy for Aviation Excellence, praising her public-service career and congratulating scholarship recipients. The former secretary has since limited who can reply to her messages, resulting in no visible comments on recent posts. Earlier, she had posted a Father's Day message honoring her father, James Chao, when McConnell was in the hospital.
Netizens have criticized her recent visit to Beijing and demanded news on the senator's health. McConnell’s office released a physician’s note saying he remains in intensive physical therapy and cannot yet leave the rehab facility. He did not attend Chao’s award ceremony, and she made no mention of him in her speech urging congressional action on air-traffic modernization.
Why it matters
The story shows how a high-profile political figure manages public communication amid a senior senator's serious health crisis.
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