(Washington, DC) — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he’s fine after being escorted away from a Republican leadership news conference Wednesday.
The Kentucky senator appeared to freeze up after he had stopped talking during the news conference. Some of his colleagues then asked McConnell if he was okay before Senator John Barrasso held him by the arm and walked him away from the podium. McConnell later walked back to the news conference by himself. An aide to the senator said he “felt light-headed and stepped away for a moment.”
The incident is renewing concerns about his overall health. Nearly two weeks ago the 81-year-old Kentucky Republican leader reportedly tripped and fell while getting off an airplane at Reagan National Airport. McConnell was not seriously hurt and he was seen later that day at the Capitol where he interacted with at least one reporter. Sources say McConnell has also recently been using a wheelchair as a precaution when he navigates crowded airports. Earlier this year, McConnell spent time in a rehabilitation facility after he tripped and fell at an event.
