Brief Interruption at McConnell’s Press Conference As He Temporarily Stops Mid-Speech

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Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell experienced an abrupt pause in his speech during a press conference on Wednesday, leading him to momentarily step away from the event.

McConnell began his weekly press briefing discussing the ongoing defense bill, praising its bipartisan progress. However, he appeared to lose his train of thought midway, momentarily staring into the distance.

Colleagues from the Republican leadership, unable to see his face from their position behind him, came forward and inquired if he wanted to return to his office after observing him freeze for approximately 20 seconds.

The senator from Kentucky, assisted by an aide and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a former orthopedic surgeon and the Senate’s No. 3 Republican, slowly made his way back to his office without responding. After spending a few minutes in his office, McConnell returned to the press conference and continued taking questions from journalists.

When asked about the incident, McConnell assured he was well and capable of performing his duties. According to an anonymous McConnell aide, the senator had felt dizzy and needed a brief pause.

In a recent incident earlier this year, McConnell was absent from the Senate for close to six weeks due to a fall that resulted in a concussion and a fractured rib. His speech has shown slight hesitations lately, stirring health-related questions among his colleagues.

Post the conference, Barrasso escorted McConnell to his office expressing his concern for the senator’s wellbeing. He commended McConnell on his recovery and his ability to answer all the press queries, however, he admitted he has been worried since McConnell’s previous injury.

McConnell, despite facing competition from Florida Sen. Rick Scott, was successfully reelected last year to lead the conference. Nevertheless, there are rumors about potential successors, such as No. 2 Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Barrasso.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, another probable successor, voiced his support for McConnell post the incident, endorsing his leadership role.

This recent stumble is the second significant injury for McConnell in the past few years. Previously, he tripped at his home in Kentucky, resulting in a shoulder fracture that required surgical intervention. McConnell, a polio survivor from his early years, has admitted to occasional difficulty with stairs.

Since his initial election to the Senate in 1984, McConnell set a record as the longest-serving Senate party leader in history earlier this year.

This year, several senators have taken health-related absences. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California was away for over two months due to shingles, and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., took a break to receive treatment for clinical depression.

This report includes contributions from Big Big News writers Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mitch McConnell’s health

More about Mitch McConnell’s health

• Mitch McConnell’s Senate Profile
• About Sen. John Barrasso
• Profile of Sen. John Thune
• More about Sen. John Cornyn
• Polio and its impact