Frozen for 30 Seconds During Press Conference... Is 81-Year-Old US Congressman Alright?

Mitch McConnell Suddenly Stops Speaking During Response
Paused for 20 Seconds Last July...Health Concerns Raised
One Year Older Than President Biden...7-Term Senator

Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority Leader in the United States, suddenly stopped speaking and became unresponsive during a press conference on the 30th (local time), raising concerns. Health concerns have also been raised about the 81-year-old senior politician.

According to local media such as CNN, McConnell was being asked whether he would run for the 2026 Senate election during the event in Covington, Kentucky. He repeated twice to the reporter, "Please ask the question again," and then said, "That is..." before suddenly falling silent.

The silence lasted for about 30 seconds. In the video footage of McConnell at the time, he is seen with his lips tightly closed and his eyes wide open. As Senator McConnell remained unresponsive, an aide approached and told reporters, "Please wait a moment," then called others to check on his condition.

According to foreign media reports, when the staff quietly asked, "Are you okay?" McConnell replied, "I'm fine." The aide then resumed the press conference and requested, "If you have questions, please speak loudly."

Mitch McConnell, Republican Senate Majority Leader
[Photo by Reuters]

However, it was reported that McConnell still could not properly answer reporters' questions afterward. Only when an aide read the questions aloud loudly beside him was he able to respond.

After a brief press conference, McConnell left without responding to questions related to the indictment of former President Donald Trump. Later, McConnell's spokesperson stated, "McConnell felt dizzy during today's press conference and paused briefly," adding, "He is fine but will consult a doctor before the next event as a precaution."

This is not the first time McConnell suddenly stopped during a press conference. On July 26, during a regular Republican press conference, he suddenly froze during his opening remarks. When McConnell remained silent for about 20 seconds, fellow lawmakers rushed to support him. After 12 minutes, McConnell returned to the podium and said, "I'm fine," but did not answer questions about his health.

McConnell was born in 1942 and is 81 years old this year. He has served as a federal senator since 1985 and is currently a seven-term senator. Since 2007, he has been the Republican Senate Majority Leader. Although he is one of the senior senators, some voices have raised concerns about his health due to his age.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden is 80 years old, one year younger than McConnell. President Biden announced his intention to run for re-election next year and has started his campaign, but according to a survey conducted in June, 55% of American voters responded that they are "seriously concerned" about his health condition.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.