Mitch McConnell escorted away mid-press convention after freezing up

Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) spooked reporters on Wednesday when he abruptly grew to become silent and stone-faced throughout a press convention — solely to return minutes later declaring “I’m wonderful.”

“We’re on a path to ending the NDAA this week. There’s been good bipartisan cooperation, and a string of…” McConnell, 81, started earlier than trailing off and staring blankly on the scrum for roughly 20 seconds.

“Are you good, Mitch?” Sen. Joni Ernst leaned in and requested to interrupt the silence.

“Anything you wish to say or ought to we simply return to your workplace?” Senate GOP Convention Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) additionally requested, to which McConnell shook his head and shuffled again with an aide.

The Senate GOP chief returned towards the tip of the weekly press convention on the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) and confronted questions on his abrupt exit.

CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju requested McConnell whether or not the transient freeze-up stemmed from an “harm earlier this yr if you suffered a concussion.”

“I’m wonderful,” McConnell responded.

“You’re wonderful, you’re totally capable of do your job?” Raju pressed.

“Yep,” McConnell stated, earlier than fielding additional questions on first son Hunter Biden’s deserted plea deal earlier on Wednesday and rumblings of impeachment within the Home.

A McConnell aide later informed reporters that the minority chief “felt light-headed and stepped away for a second” however returned to the rostrum to discipline questions, “which as everybody noticed was sharp.”

McConnell suffered a concussion in March after falling on the Waldorf Astoria lodge in Washington, DC, throughout a fundraising dinner. 5 weeks later, he returned to the Senate and instantly joked concerning the incident.

“Suffice it to say, this wasn’t the primary time that being hardheaded has served me very properly,” he stated.

The GOP chief is amongst one of many longest-serving members within the Senate, having held his seat for greater than 38 years.