Mitch McConnell, 82, Falls at U.S. Capitol More than a Year After Public Freezing Episodes

Longtime Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell fell after a gathering on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Dec. 10, according to several reports.

The senior Kentucky senator, 82, fell while leaving a Senate GOP luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., per reports from Axios, The Hill and ABC News. 

The Hill reports that McConnell had spoken during the lunch, which was hosted by Senate Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso from Wyoming. Barrasso reportedly escorted McConnell back to his office after the incident, where he was followed by a medical team with a wheelchair. 

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who was recently elected to succeed McConnell as the Republican Senate leader, said in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that McConnell is “fine” and “in his office” following the incident, per The Hill.

Barrasso told reporters that McConnell fell in an area outside the Senate chamber and has a scratch on his face, according to Axios.

PEOPLE reached out to McConnell’s team for comment about his condition but did not immediately hear back.

McConnell’s health has been a subject of concern over the past year. In August 2023, the politician suddenly stopped speaking during a press conference with reporters after being asked about his reelection plans in 2026.

An aide responded to the politician during the incident and repeated the question. When McConnell continued to remain unresponsive, a second aide approached him. The senator recovered moments later and moved on to the next question.

A spokesperson said at the time, “Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today.” An aide additionally shared, “While he feels fine, as a prudential measure, the Leader will be consulting a physician prior to his next event.”

A similar incident happened during a press conference in July. However, that time, when McConnell froze, his colleagues asked him if he wanted to go back to his office. The politician was seen turning away from the podium before returning to continue addressing the reporters. 

One reporter asked if the incident was related to the concussion he suffered in March 2023 after a fall at a dinner event, to which McConnell said, “I’m fine.”

The Republican addressed the concerns for his health in an October 2023 appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation, saying, “I’m fine. I’m completely recovered, and I’m just fine.”

He told moderator Margaret Brennan during the interview, “I’m in good shape, completely recovered and back on the job,” before adding, “I think we ought to be talking about what we were talking about earlier, rather than my health.”

Earlier this year, McConnell announced that he was going to vacate his Republican Senate Leader position in November after having been at the helm of the conference since 2007.

“One of life’s most under-appreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” he said during his remarks. “So I stand before you today … to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.”

McConnell revealed that he plans to remain in Congress through the remainder of his term, which expires in January 2027.