- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze up in the middle of a press conference on Wednesday.
- A similar occurrence happened to him just about a month prior, in Washington, DC.
The Capitol physician released a short note Thursday afternoon clearing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to work again after he froze up in the middle of a press conference Wednesday.
The note from physician Brian P. Monahan links McConnell's recent momentary lapse to a concussion he sustained a concussion in the first quarter of 2023, saying that "occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration."
—Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) August 31, 2023
On Wednesday, in the middle of taking questions from reporters in Kentucky, McConnell, 81, suddenly appeared disoriented and stopped speaking. About a month prior, McConnell also abruptly stopped speaking in the middle of a press conference in Washington, DC, only to be whisked away by his colleagues shortly after.
Following the first incident in Washington, DC, his aide told Insider it was the result of lightheadedness.
In addition to his concussion, McConnell also reportedly fractured a rib and fell two other times this year. A childhood survivor of polio, he's also been seen using a wheelchair while in airports.
According to Politico, a group of senators are considering whether or not to force a special conference meeting to address McConnell's health in a private setting.
In an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, President Joe Biden said he doesn't have any concerns at the moment regarding McConnell's ability to do his job.