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Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, has not made an official announcement about his return to work, even as the Senate marks a return of its own from recess Sept. 14.
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The former Senate majority leader, 84, has yet to offer public updates about his status in the Senate – including whether he plans to resume work alongside congressional colleagues in the upper chamber.
The Senate returns Sept. 14 from a five-week recess, less than two months away from November’s midterm elections that will test Trump’s popularity in key swing states. His absence comes as Senate Republicans face an already slim 53-seat majority which relies on little to no defections in order to enact President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda.
In a July 12 statement to his constituents, the seven-term senator said he was “briefly unconscious” after a fall and was admitted to a hospital amid rampant online speculation about his health. He announced Aug. 6 that he was discharged from a rehabilitation center and is now recovering at his Washington residence.
USA TODAY reached out to McConnell’s office for comment.
McConnell left his role as majority leader last year and was succeed by now-Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. He did not seek re-election, and will likely be replaced by Rep. Andy Barr, a fellow Republican who is expected to win a full six-year term in November.
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The state’s chief executive, Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat and potential 2028 hopeful, has chastised McConnell and his office for their lack of updates.
In a July 27 letter to McConnell, Beshear called on the Kentucky Republican to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign.” The letter arrived as McConnell’s office released a new photo and briefing on his treatment when he was undergoing “intense physical therapy” in a rehabilitation facility.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As the Senate returns, questions remain about Mitch McConnell
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Reporting by Jay Stahl, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 6:41 AM.