Ron Johnson

Wisconsin’s Republican senator is changing his tune a day after he said he was told the proof of life picture of Mitch McConnell was not current.

On Monday, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said he was told the picture of McConnell and the Kentucky senator’s wife, Elaine Chao, “was an older photo.”

But just hours later, and again on Tuesday, Johnson walked back his suggestion that the McConnell photo was not current.

“The TV host was saying it was AI, and I just said I had heard that maybe it wasn’t the most recent photo,” Johnson said during a Tuesday morning NewsNation appearance.

“I have no idea” if the proof of life photo is current, Johnson continued, “Just discount all that. From my standpoint, I wish Leader McConnell well. I hope he recovers. I hope he returns the Senate and can help support President Trump’s agenda.”

McConnell broke a weekslong silence about his health Sunday, saying he was still recovering after suffering from pneumonia and falling in his home, the Associated Press reported.

During a Real America’s Voice appearance on Monday, Jonson told Eric Bolling he received information that the hospital photo was not current.

“I just heard from some other source that was an older photo. So I really don’t know. I haven’t talked to Mitch. I certainly wish he and his family well. I hope he can recover. Listen, it’s sad to watch people age, no matter who that person is,” Johnson said.

But a short while later, the Wisconsin senator told reporters about the photo, “It was a rumor. Just discount it… I have no idea. I just, I heard that. I just heard it.

“So just assume it’s false,” Johnson said, according to NOTUS reporter Igor Bobic.