A longtime ally of Sen. Mitch McConnell said Kentucky’s senior senator is aware of and seems frustrated by the intense public scrutiny about his health condition.

Scott Jennings, a former McConnell adviser and conservative political commentator on CNN, said he spoke with McConnell on Tuesday about political races and the attention he’s received since his hospitalization nearly two months ago.

“He told me today, he said, it was like, ‘I know this is unusual circumstances. I’m sitting here. The doctors tell me I don’t have any life-threatening issues. It must seem rather strange,’” Jennings said Tuesday night on CNN. “So yeah, I got the feeling he’s somewhat aware of it and frankly, somewhat frustrated by it.”

McConnell, 84, was discharged from a rehabilitation center Aug. 6 and is continuing his recovery at home. He was first hospitalized June 14, and his office released few details at the time, other than to say he was receiving “excellent care.”

After weeks of speculation, McConnell released a statement July 12 saying he was recovering from a fall and a case of pneumonia. Throughout his prolonged absence, Democrats and Republicans alike have demanded more transparency.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro, a CNN contributor, asked Jennings why McConnell doesn’t call into a “credible news organization” but can have phone calls with him.

Jennings said July 7 he’d spoken with McConnell on the phone about a variety of topics. Following that conversation, Jennings used his platform on CNN to refute some of the speculation circulating on social media.

On Tuesday night, Jennings responded by saying McConnell is from a generation that tends to be private.

“My view of him and frankly, my belief about males of that generation, is that they’re intensely private, to be honest,” Jennings said. “He’s always been a little private about his own personal health care. You know, he’s a polio survivor and one of the issues that he’s had over time is weakness in his legs. I think that’s part of what’s going on here and part of the conditioning that he is having to go through right now.”

When asked if McConnell would at least call into Jennings’ radio show, Jennings said he hopes that’s a possibility.

“I’ve had him on before, and I’m hoping to have him on as we get closer to win the Senate,” Jennings said.

McConnell said in an Aug. 6 statement he will continue physical therapy from home during the state work period and work with his staff on Senate business.

The Senate is expected to return Sept. 14, though McConnell has not given a timeline on when he will return to the chamber.

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