Source: Tom Williams / Getty
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze at a press conference in Kentucky on Wednesday. This is the second time the senator has done so.
On Wednesday, the 81-year-old McConnell was asked whether he would run for reelection in 2026. The senator asked the reporter to repeat the question before trailing off and staring straight ahead for about 10 seconds.
McConnell eventually snapped out of it and answered a couple more questions at the Kentucky event. Though he did not answer the one question about a 2026 campaign and appeared to be having difficulty speaking. The aide then ended the news conference and McConnell slowly left the room.
This health scare occurred just a few weeks after he froze for the first time during a press conference at the Capitol for roughly 28 seconds. He had to be escorted away from a lectern by colleagues that time.
These instances have raised concern over McConnell’s health and whether he will remain in Congress and in his leadership post.
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and has served as GOP leader since 2007.
These episodes come months after McConnell suffered a concussion and a broken rib from a fall in March. Apparently, that wasn’t the first time he has fallen this year according to a source who is close to the senator. The source also noted that the GOP leader has been using a wheelchair to get around the capitol.
