Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a prominent Republican figure in the United States Senate, experienced a brief health scare during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. The incident caused concern among his colleagues and the press, but he later confirmed that he was fine and able to continue fulfilling his duties.
The episode occurred when McConnell was addressing reporters during a routine Republican leadership news conference, discussing an annual defense policy bill. Suddenly, he paused mid-speech and remained silent for 19 seconds, prompting his fellow Republican colleagues to inquire about his well-being.
Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, who is both a doctor and a top McConnell deputy, stepped forward to assist and walked the Senate Minority Leader away from the cameras and reporters. Meanwhile, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa was observed making a gesture that appeared to be the sign of the cross, but her office later clarified that she was actually signaling for Senate Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota.
After a brief absence, McConnell returned to the news conference on his own, assuring concerned reporters that he was fine and capable of carrying out his responsibilities. When asked directly if he could perform his job fully, he replied with a confident “Yeah.”
An aide close to McConnell revealed that he had felt lightheaded and needed a moment to recover, which led to the temporary pause in his speech. Despite the momentary setback, McConnell displayed his characteristic sharpness during the Q&A session after returning.
Later in the evening, McConnell shared a lighthearted moment when he mentioned that President Joe Biden had called to check on him. “I told him I got sandbagged,” he jokingly remarked.
A White House official and a spokesperson for Senator McConnell both confirmed that he and President Biden had indeed spoken on the phone following the incident. However, McConnell did not provide further details about what happened during the press conference or whether he had sought medical attention.
It is worth noting that McConnell had a similar health issue earlier this year when he fell and hit his head on March 8 after an event for the Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC. The incident resulted in a concussion and a minor rib fracture, and he was hospitalized before being discharged on March 13 and subsequently attending rehabilitation.
Since then, McConnell had returned to his duties in the Senate in mid-April, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican from California, confirmed that there were no health concerns during a regular meeting held after the Senate GOP leadership news conference.
Mitch McConnell has been serving in the Senate since 1985 and remains a significant figure in the Republican Party. While his recent health scare caused a momentary stir, he has reassured the public that he will continue fulfilling his responsibilities.
Sources By Agencies
