US lawmaker freezes speaking at press conference and is escorted away | US News

A US lawmaker froze while speaking at a press conference and was escorted away.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 81, stopped speaking suddenly during a weekly Republican leadership briefing on Wednesday.

McConnell appeared to be mid-sentence when he froze and had a blank expression. After about 15 seconds, his colleagues approached him.

GOP Senator John Barrasso touched McConnell’s arm and asked in a low voice, ‘Hey Mitch, anything else you want to say? Or should we just go back to your office? Do you want to say anything else to the press?’

McConnell did not respond and was led away from the podium.

A few minutes later, McConnell returned to the presser.

Asked by CNN if what occurred was linked to a fall he had earlier this year, McConnell said: ‘No, I’m fine.’

He then went on to questions from other reporters.

An aide for McConnell said he ‘felt light-headed and stepped away for a moment’.

‘He came back to handle Q and A, which as everyone observed was sharp,’ the aide added.

McConnell was hospitalized in March after tripping and falling at a dinner event in Washington, DC. He suffered a concussion and fractured his rib and underwent physical therapy at an inpatient rehabilitation center.

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