Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) malfunctioned and suddenly stopped speaking during a weekly Republican leadership press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Sen. McConnell appeared to freeze and stare blankly before being helped and escorted away by concerned GOP senators.
McConnell had been making his opening remarks when he suddenly stopped talking.
His Republican colleagues asked if he was okay while he looked lost and confused.
He looked like he was trying to restart his speech but was unable when Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) escorted McConnell away from the cameras and reporters.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) appeared to make a sign of the cross as if she was praying for McConnell.
WATCH:
Flag: McConnell just stopped abruptly during his opening statement during the gop leadership presser and appeared to be unable to restart talking. He then stepped away and walked away with Barrasso: pic.twitter.com/f1kFUjggzm
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) July 26, 2023
U.S. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell froze and appeared unwell while speaking at a press conference pic.twitter.com/FURwwSCdZm
— BNO News (@BNONews) July 26, 2023
Here is footage of when McConnell seemed to just stop mid-sentence pic.twitter.com/4o8xKdWiwc
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 26, 2023
A few minutes later, McConnell came back to the press conference by himself.
He stood away from the podium and, when asked about his health, he said he was fine.
According to NBC:
McConnell, 81, was released from a physical rehabilitation facility in late March where he had been for more than a week after a fall.
The Republican leader tripped and fell March 8 after an event for the Senate Leadership Fund — a Republican super PAC aligned with McConnell and GOP leadership — at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington.
He was hospitalized with a concussion and discharged March 13.
