Mitch McConnell allegedly experienced an awkward mishap while disembarking from a plane a few days back, with some sources claiming he “face-planted.”
NBC News reports indicate that Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell encountered an unreported fall 12 days prior to the recent freezing incident that captured media attention on Wednesday. During the Senate Republican Agenda press conference that afternoon, McConnell faced an unusual moment when he froze and remained silent at the lectern for over 30 seconds, prompting his colleagues to inquire if he had anything further to add before eventually guiding him away from the podium.
Shortly afterward, he returned to field questions and later shared a lighthearted anecdote about receiving a call from President Joe Biden, jesting that he felt “sandbagged” during the conversation.
While many have speculated that this episode might be related to an injury McConnell sustained in March earlier in the year, NBC’s Garrett Haake and Sahil Kapur cite several sources claiming that McConnell actually had a more recent mishap while disembarking from a plane at Reagan National Airport on July 14.
McConnell, 81, was not seriously hurt, and was seen at the Capitol later that day, where he interacted with at least one reporter.
The July 14 fall, which has not been previously reported, occurred after the flight out of Washington was canceled while everyone was on board. McConnell, R-Ky., who was a passenger on the plane, had a “face plant,” someone who was on the plane at the time but did not witness the fall told NBC News. That passenger also said they spoke to another passenger who helped tend to McConnell after the fall.
The Senate’s top Republican has also recently been using a wheelchair as a precautionary measure when navigating crowded airports, according to a source familiar with his practices.
The fall came several months after Leader McConnell suffered a concussion after a fall at a hotel in Washington.
