With no word from Sen. Mitch McConnell's office on how the Kentucky Republican is faring, one analyst suggested it could be his wife pulling the strings. Elaine Chao's background in government spans decades, Marcotte noted: she served in the Cabinets of President Donald Trump, George W. Bush, and George H.W. "But whatever her level of responsibility, it’s not surprising that McConnell’s wife is the center of many conspiracy theories. When McConnell was hospitalized in June, Chao was in China conducting meetings with high-ranking officials, including the country's vice president Han Zheng. Chao's continued engagement in foreign diplomacy and international business dealings suggests she "continues to engage in power-brokering" around the world by leaning on her husband's political power, diminished though it may be.