Beshear says he's "heard absolutely nothing" from McConnell
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he hasn't heard back from Sen. Mitch McConnell following formal requests for an update on his health last month amid a weekslong hospitalization.
Updated on: August 16, 2026 / 10:52 AM EDT / CBS News
"I've heard absolutely nothing back from Mitch McConnell," Beshear said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan ."
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized on June 14. But he and his staff shared little about his condition for weeks, prompting Beshear to write a letter on July 8 to the longtime Kentucky senator seeking an update on his health. Days later, McConnell put out his first statement since the hospitalization, which he said resulted from a fall, while noting that he had moved to a rehabilitation center.
Earlier this month, McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, released a statement saying he had been discharged from the rehabilitation center, nearly two months after he was initially hospitalized. McConnell said he would continue his recovery at home. The statement did not say when he is expected to return to Capitol Hill.
In his letter to McConnell last month, Beshear, a Democrat, said "Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate." As governor, he requested that McConnell "fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status" of his health." In another letter later that month, Beshear urged McConnell to "directly and verbally" address his constituents and provide proof of his ability to continue to serve.