A scary moment at a press conference on Wednesday has left many worrying about the health of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
During a press conference on Wednesday, the 81-year-old McConnell took to the podium to discuss the recent moves in the Senate when he appeared to freeze in front of television cameras and reporters a few sentences into his opening statement.
While staring off into the distance, his fellow senators quickly came to his aid, as Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) asked him, “Are you good, Mitch?” while putting her hand on his back.
McConnell remained unresponsive, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who is also a doctor, suggested that they go back to his office so he could sit down.
“Let’s go back to your office,” Barrasso said. “Do you want to say anything else to the press? Let’s go back.”
Eventually, the senators and staff members at the press conference were able to get McConnell away from the podium, and Barrasso shared that he had walked down the hall toward his office. However, he said McConnell didn’t say anything that would indicate he needed medical attention.
An aide later said that McConnell’s freeze was just a moment of lightheadedness and that he just needed to step away for a moment. The aide also said that the senator “was sharp.”
McConnell, who holds his seat until 2026, eventually returned to the press conference, offering that he was “fine” when asked by a reporter if the moment stemmed from his fall and concussion in March of this year.
“You’re fine? You’re fully able to do your job?” the reporter pressed.
“Yeah,” McConnell answered.
Other senators offered their thoughts on McConnell, with Senate Republican Conference Vice Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.) saying that she hopes “he gets a good rest over the break” lawmakers take in August.
Barrasso said he was “concerned” about the Senate Minority Leader after the press conference, telling a crowd of reporters that he had lunch with McConnell earlier that day and the Kentucky Republican appeared to be fine.
“I was concerned when he fell and hit his head a number of months ago and was hospitalized, and I think he’s made a remarkable recovery. He’s doing a great job leading our conference and was able to answer every question that the press asked today,” he said.
However, some have shared concerns about the senator’s health, as one Republican lawmaker who spoke with The Hill anonymously said they feared he may still be suffering from the fall.
“I love Mitch McConnell. He is one of the most strategic political thinkers that we have. I have such admiration and respect for him. But I do fear that — you can call it low energy — he is not himself,” the lawmaker said.
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