Missing GOP Congressman Breaks Mysterious Months-Long Silence — In Cryptic Interview That Presents More Questions Than Answers

Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), who has not been seen or heard from by most members of Congress since he last cast a vote on March 5, has broken his silence in a cryptic interview that sparks new questions and offers few answers.

In a Capitol Hill press conference just yesterday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said he spoke to an “optimistic” Kean about a return to Congress “soon.”

“Yeah, look, I talked to Tom,” Johnson said. “It’s been a few weeks ago now on the phone, and he sounded good and optimistic. And we’re expecting him back here soon. He’s had a medical issue, and he’s going to be fully transparent and disclose all that—I mean, that’s what he told me.”

Kean appeared to be as illusive as Johnson in a new interview with the New Jersey Globe. 

While the Congressman confirmed that he is recovering from an illness, he did not offer many details.

“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” he said in a phone interview with the outlet Thursday afternoon.  “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.”

Kean Jr. told The New Jersey Globe that he is nearing a return to Congress, intends to publicly disclose more details about the health issues he’s endured and plans to seek re-election for a third term in 2026.

“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail,” Kean Jr. said, revealing he has been in touch with his congressional office daily.

The outlet also reported that Kean Jr. said his “prognosis is positive” with “no expected long-term effects or chronic health complications” and no “effect to his cognitive health.”

A statement from Kean Jr. was posted to social media on April 27 — the only other public communication from him since March 5.

“I want to thank my constituents and colleagues for their patience as I address a personal medical issue,” the statement reads. “My doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent. I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult.”

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