Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, 83, lost his balance and fell in the basement of the Russell Senate Office Building on Thursday while a reporter asked him about ICE “kidnapping” workers from the streets.
McConnell was helped to his feet by an aide and a Capitol Police officer. He waved to the cameras, appeared uninjured, and continued walking without assistance.
JUST IN: Republican Senator Mitch McConnell trips and falls to the ground in the Russell basement as a reporter asked him a question about ICE.
Reporter: “Do you support ICE taking working people off the streets and kidnapping them?”
McConnell was helped up and appeared to be… pic.twitter.com/13pxsKz9pp
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 16, 2025
The Kentucky senator has represented the state in the Senate since 1985. He announced in February 2025 that he will not run for reelection in 2026, but he plans to finish his current term. His fall on Thursday adds to a series of health scares he has experienced over the years.
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Since 2019, McConnell has experienced several public falls. Earlier this year, in February, he collapsed twice at the Capitol in a single day.
He has also gone through at least two freezing episodes, stopping mid-sentence for roughly 30 seconds. Congress’s attending physician, Brian Monahan, explained in September 2023 that these pauses were not linked to a stroke or seizure but were tied to a concussion McConnell sustained after a fall in March 2023.
Part of the senator’s ongoing health issues comes from lingering effects of polio in his left leg, which he had as a child.
Observers have noted that McConnell’s speech and walking have slowed, and he has lost weight. These changes have prompted concern about his capacity to remain active in the Senate and sparked speculation about his overall health.
McConnell is Kentucky’s longest-serving senator. His recent stumble has brought renewed attention not only to his personal health but also to the larger issue of older politicians holding office.
Senate leadership is aging overall. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is the oldest at 92, followed by Bernie Sanders at 84, and McConnell at 83. In 2025, the average age in the Senate is about 64, up from 53 back in 1981.
Featured image via X screengrab
