Mitch McConnell’s office is trying once again to quiet the growing speculation around the Kentucky Republican’s health, but the latest update is unlikely to satisfy critics demanding more than carefully worded assurances.

The 84-year-old senator has not been seen publicly in more than a month after being hospitalized on June 14. Now, his spokesman David Popp says McConnell is still working on Senate and Kentucky matters while recovering, even as his office has released no new video or fresh public appearance to back up the claim.

“The Senator continues to meet with staff regarding Senate and Kentucky business, including discussions on defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, constituent services and constituent federal grant requests,” Popp told The Washington Post. “As the Senator continues to improve in rehab, we will be sure to keep you updated.”

That statement may have been meant to reassure the public. Instead, it only fueled the larger question hanging over Capitol Hill: if McConnell is actively working, why has no one seen him?

McConnell’s office previously released a photo of the senator in a hospital setting beside his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, with what appeared to be a current newspaper visible in the image. The picture came after weeks of speculation about his condition, but it did not end the scrutiny. Critics quickly noted that a single photo was not the same as a public appearance, a video statement, or a clear medical timeline.

McConnell has said he did not suffer a heart attack or stroke, despite reports that a 911 call from his residence mentioned cardiac arrest. According to the explanation from his office, he was hospitalized after a fall, was briefly unconscious, and later developed a mild case of pneumonia while recovering.

Still, the lack of detailed updates has frustrated some Republicans, especially with the GOP operating under a narrow Senate majority and McConnell still representing Kentucky in Washington.

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said last week that he had no real information about McConnell’s condition.

“I don’t know anything about McConnell’s health. I know zero. I’m totally in the dark, and I certainly wish him well and his family,” Hawley said. “I do think that at a certain point you have an obligation to your constituents and country to tell them what’s going on.”

Several senior Republicans have claimed they have spoken with McConnell by phone during his hospitalization, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso. Conservative commentator Scott Jennings has also said he spoke with him.

But even President Donald Trump sounded unconvinced when asked about McConnell’s condition.

“Well, I don’t hear much. I was, uh, never a huge fan,” Trump said. “I hope he’s going to be fine. I—I don’t know if he’s fine, but I certainly hope he’s going to be fine.”

McConnell’s health has been under public scrutiny for years. He has suffered several falls, including incidents at the Capitol, and previously froze in front of cameras during public remarks. He was also hospitalized earlier this year after experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Before this latest hospitalization, McConnell had already announced that he would not seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to one of the longest and most consequential Senate careers in modern American politics.

But his prolonged absence has now turned into a political mystery of its own. His staff says he is working. Republican leaders say they have spoken to him. His office says he is improving.

What they have not provided is the one thing that would immediately change the conversation: a clear public appearance from Mitch McConnell himself.