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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi successfully underwent hip replacement surgery after being hospitalized during a trip to Luxembourg.
“Earlier this morning, Speaker Emerita Pelosi underwent a successful hip replacement and is well on the mend,” spokesperson Ian Krager said in a statement.
The spokesperson added, “Speaker Pelosi is grateful to U.S. military staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base and medical staff at Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for their excellent care and kindness.”
“The operation was conducted at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base in Germany, her office said. The Defense Department provided medevac support to transport Pelosi there from Luxembourg,” CBS News reported.
“Pelosi was in Luxembourg as part of a congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, CBS News previously reported. Pelosi “sustained an injury during an official engagement.” She was admitted to Kirchberg Hospital in the northeast of Luxembourg City hospital for evaluation,” the outlet added.
Sources familiar with the matter informed CBS News that Pelosi injured her left leg in a fall. Krager did not specify the nature or severity of the injury at that time.
She was on hand with a Congressional delegation on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge when she reportedly fell down a flight of stairs.
“While traveling with a bipartisan Congressional delegation in Luxembourg to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sustained an injury during an official engagement and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation,” a spokesperson for the former Speaker said.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi is currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals. She continues to work and regrets that she is unable to attend the remainder of the CODEL engagements to honor the courage of our servicemembers during one of the greatest acts of American heroism in our nation’s history. Speaker Emerita Pelosi conveys her thanks and praise to our veterans and gratitude to people of Luxembourg and Bastogne for their service in World War II and their role in bringing peace to Europe,” the spokesperson said.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi was personally and officially honored to travel with the distinguished delegation, many of whom had family members who fought in World War II — including her uncle, Johnny. She looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon,” they said.
The 84-year-old representative’s injury came days after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suffered an injury.
“Leader McConnell tripped following lunch. He sustained a minor cut to the face and sprained his wrist. He has been cleared to resume his schedule,” a McConnell spokesman said.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who will succeed McConnell as Senate GOP leader in January, told reporters following the weekly Senate GOP policy luncheon that McConnell is “fine” and “in his office.” He referred any questions about McConnell to the senator’s staff.
Medical staff with a wheelchair were reportedly called to assist the senator after his fall. Republican Sen. John Barrasso, the incoming whip, told the Daily Mail that McConnell “is fine.”
McConnell, who was examined by a medical team, “has been cleared to resume his schedule,” his office said.
The outgoing Senate Republican leader has had several health scares in recent years.
Earlier this year, McConnell revealed that he’s “not leaving the Senate” and that he’s focused on combating the Republican Party’s “isolationist movement,” which some viewed as a shot at President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming team.
During an interview with WHAS radio host Terry Meiners, McConnell vowed to use his remaining time in the Senate to hit back against GOP colleagues who aim to rein in U.S. support for foreign allies such as Israel and Ukraine.
Despite his plans to step down as party leader, McConnell said, “I’m not leaving the Senate.” He added, “I’m particularly involved in actually fighting back against the isolationist movement in my own party and so many others as well.”
McConnell mentioned Ukraine’s fight against Russia, a cause to which the US has allocated tens of billions of dollars.