Republican Senator Mitch McConnell experienced a fall in a Capitol hallway while on his way to participate in voting activities. This incident was caught on video by the environmental advocacy group Sunrise Movement, who were questioning McConnell about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the time.
The Senator appeared unsteady and did not respond to the questions before falling. Aides quickly assisted him back to his feet, after which he waved to the camera and continued on with the support of his team.
At 83 years old, McConnell has stated that he will not seek reelection in the upcoming election cycle, intending to serve until January 2027. In recent years, he has faced several health-related incidents, some of which have been publicly visible.
In 2023, during a press gathering in Covington, Kentucky, McConnell was asked about his plans for reelection. He was silent for approximately thirty seconds, offering no immediate response. An aide then informed reporters, “we’re going to need a minute,” before McConnell signaled that he was ready to continue with the press event.
Following the incident, a spokesperson for McConnell stated, “Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today.”
Earlier that year, McConnell also paused unexpectedly at a Washington D.C. press conference while discussing progress on the annual defense bill, mentioning the “good bipartisan cooperation” before he trailed off and appeared to stare ahead.
An aide was heard asking, “Hey Mitch, anything else you want to say? Or should we just go back to your office? Do you want to say anything else to the press?” Subsequently, he was escorted back to his office, leaving the assembled crowd uncertain about the situation.
However, McConnell returned a few minutes later, assuring the room that he was ready to continue.
On Thursday, October 16, McConnell participated in Senate votes concerning the ongoing government shutdown, which has extended into its 16th day. The longest government shutdown in U.S. history occurred during Donald Trump’s first term, lasting 34 days.