Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., affirmed at a press conference that he intends to finish his term, despite concern following multiple incidents when he froze in front of reporters.
“I’m going to finish my term as leader and I’m going to finish my Senate term,” McConnell said.
McConnell froze while speaking to reporters on Aug. 30, abruptly going silent while answering questions about running for reelection in 2026. A similar incident occurred on July 26, when McConnell froze during a press conference and was escorted from the lectern by colleagues.
On Sept. 5, two letters addressed to McConnell from Brian Monahan, attending physician of the United States Congress, were made public. In the first letter, Monahan concludes that McConnell’s Aug. 30 episode was either an aftereffect from a concussion sustained in March 2023 or a symptom of dehydration. In the second letter, Monahan stated that there is no evidence McConnell has a movement or seizure disorder, or that he had a stroke.
“I think Dr. Monahan covered the subject, fully,” McConnell said at the press conference. “You’ve had a chance to read it. I don’t have anything to add to it. I think it should answer any reasonable question.”
In a Sept. 6 post on X, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that McConnell addressed his health concerns and provided a detailed doctor’s statement following a Senate GOP luncheon.
“Mitch was strong and clear, and I am confident in his ability to lead our conference,” Graham said. “He has my full support.”
“He explained what happened and how he feels now,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told reporters after the same luncheon. “He would do the right thing if he felt like he couldn’t. It’s getting ready to be a very tough election year and any leader has got to be out there going, raising money, doing all that. He convinced me.”
Some individuals have expressed skepticism regarding McConnell’s health condition, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who is himself a physician.
“I don’t think it’s been particularly helpful to have the Senate doctor describing it as dehydration, which I think even non-physicians seeing that probably aren’t really accepting that explanation,” Paul told reporters on Sep. 5, according to Punchbowl News.
As McConnell’s health concerns are called into question, many members of the GOP have come to his defense.
“We might lose Mitch McConnell 20 seconds a day, but the other 86,380 seconds are pretty darn good so I’m supporting him,” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said at a Sept. 5 press conference.