Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., experienced a fall during a GOP lunch on Tuesday. A wheelchair was seen being wheeled into the senator's office just before 1 p.m., followed by a Washington, D.C. fire and rescue team emerging from his office.
Although McConnell was not present at the Senate GOP weekly press conference, Senator John Thune assured reporters that McConnell was fine, stating that he was in his office and referring any further inquiries to staff.
A spokesperson for McConnell later confirmed that the leader had tripped following lunch, resulting in a minor cut to his face and a sprained wrist. McConnell has since been cleared to resume his regular schedule.
This incident is not the first time McConnell has experienced a fall. Last year, he suffered a concussion from a fall and had two public episodes where he appeared to freeze while addressing reporters. During one instance in Covington, Kentucky, McConnell froze for over 30 seconds while answering questions. Another incident occurred during a news conference in Washington, D.C., where an aide mentioned that McConnell had felt light-headed and needed a moment to step away.
As the longest-serving Senate party leader in history, McConnell faced increasing pressure from his party to retire last year. Earlier this year, he announced his decision to step down from his leadership role.
