Watch: Mitch McConnell Freezes Mid-Sentence During Press Conference, Appears Very Unwell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly stop speaking mid-sentence during his weekly Republican leadership news conference from Capitol Hill Wednesday.
He was then escorted away from the microphone, but later returned.
“We’re on a path to finishing the [National Defense Authorization Act],” McConnell said in opening his remarks. “This week has been good bipartisan cooperation and a string of a…”
The minority leader did not complete his sentence.
McConnell, 81, then appeared unstable on his feet, prompting Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa to reach out and place her hand on his back.
Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming then stepped forward to McConnell and asked, “Is there anything else you want to say or should you just go back to your office?”
He mouthed, “No” and walked away from the podium.
Later McConnell later came back to the news conference.
UPDATE: McConnell is back at the presser. pic.twitter.com/hrAdKXpAVX
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) July 26, 2023
A reporter asked him, “Could you address what happened here at the start of the press conference and was it related to your injury from earlier this year where you suffered a concussion?”
“I’m fine,” McConnell answered with a weak voice.
The reporter followed up, “You’re fully able to do your job?”
“Yeah,” the Kentucky senator said.
Q: “Could you address what happened here at the start of the press conference and was it related to your injury from earlier this year where you suffered a concussion?”
Sen. McConnell: “I’m fine.”
Q: “You’re fine? You’re fully able to do your job?”
McConnell: “Yeah.” pic.twitter.com/Can1RtzqmM
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 26, 2023
NBC News reported that McConnell was released from a rehabilitation facility in late March where he had been for more than week following a fall that resulted in him suffering a concussion.
“The Republican leader tripped and fell March 8 after an event for the Senate Leadership Fund — a Republican super PAC aligned with McConnell and GOP leadership — at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington,” the news outlet said.
He was discharged March 13.
Politico reported in January that McConnell broke the record for the longest-serving party leader in the Senate, topping former Sen. Mike Mansfield of Montana, who was majority leader for 16 years.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
