President Donald Trump on Wednesday revealed he has “no idea” about Sen. Mitch McConnell‘s (R-KY) health status, failing to ease concerns about why the elderly lawmaker has spent nearly a month in the hospital.
When asked by reporters on Air Force One whether he had spoken with McConnell since the former Senate majority leader was hospitalized on June 14, Trump replied, “No.” The Kentucky senator’s team has declined to disclose the reason for his lengthy hospitalization.
When asked how McConnell was doing, Trump said, “I have no idea how he’s doing.”
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized in June for unknown reasons after experiencing visible symptoms of age for several years. The latest hospital stay has triggered questions about whether he will be able to finish his term and comes after the elderly senator had a roughly eight-day hospital stay in February for flu-like symptoms.
Top Republicans, such as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), have sought to project an optimistic outlook, citing positive phone calls they said they have held with McConnell during his hospital stay.
The senator’s staff has been largely mum, saying last week that he “continues to improve.” The secrecy has stoked calls from some Kentucky leaders for more answers, with Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) on Wednesday sending a letter to McConnell requesting an update on his health.
“As public officeholders, we have made a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and to always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one’s ability to serve,” Beshear said. “Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians, and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”
WHAT IS MITCH MCCONNELL’S STATUS WEEKS AFTER EMERGENCY HOSPITALIZATION?
McConnell was the longest-serving Senate leader in history before stepping aside and allowing Thune to fill the top spot in January 2025. The Kentucky Republican announced he would not seek reelection the following month, meaning he is set to exit Congress in January 2027.
McConnell has appeared to be on the decline since fracturing his shoulder after a fall in 2019. He suffered from several public falls and froze multiple times throughout 2023 and 2024, and in October 2025, he fell again while walking through the Capitol before a Senate vote.