Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze when speaking to reporters for the second time in less than a month.
When asked if he would run for re-election in 2026 during a press gathering in Covington, Kentucky, the 81-year-old stopped for more than 30 seconds.
Aides tried to prompt the senator, but it took several seconds for him to recover.
He then answered two more questions, which staff had to repeat.
Before leaving with aides, he made no comments regarding his health.
“Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” a spokesperson said after the incident.
Mitch McConnell’s first gaffe came on July 26 during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
Mr. McConnell’s first gaffe came on July 26 during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
He froze in mid-sentence for around 20 seconds before being escorted out by his Republican colleagues.
He later returned and said he was “fine” and felt “lightheaded.”
Mr McConnell, who controls the Republican Party’s slim Senate majority, was hospitalized for a week in March after suffering a concussion and a fractured rib in a fall outside a Washington area hotel.
He was moved to a rehabilitation center and did not return to the Senate until mid-April.
This recent incident may raise new concerns about the Kentucky senator’s health as the country prepares for a hectic autumn legislative session as Congress strives to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of October.
When asked during a press conference, President Joe Biden’s press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said, “We wish him well, a speedy recovery.”
Concerns about Mr. McConnell’s health follow inquiries about the health of California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, 90, who was missing from the chamber for months after being diagnosed with a severe case of shingles.
The average age of US Senate members is 65.
