McConnell falls during Senate meeting, sprains wrist, but is ‘good’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky., fell during a closed-door Republican lunch Tuesday, spraining his wrist and sustaining a minor cut to his face, according to his office.

The outgoing Senate leader was treated and has resumed his duties, his office said. Sen. John Barrasso , R-Wyo., the No. 3 Senate Republican, told reporters that McConnell, 82, was walking by himself after the fall and seemed fine.

McConnell was back on the Senate floor by the second round of votes Tuesday, wearing a bandage on the left side of his face and a brace on his left hand. He told an ABC News reporter he was feeling “good.”

A spokesman said McConnell did not require hospital attention after his fall and noted that the senator has a weak left leg, a result of a childhood polio infection that could contribute to his difficulty walking and increase his risk for falls.

McConnell fell and suffered a concussion and broken rib during a private dinner at a Washington hotel in early March 2023 and was absent from the Senate for nearly six weeks as he recovered. That year, he also fell during a trip to Helsinki in February and in July at Reagan National Airport.

Last year, McConnell also had two incidents in which he froze while speaking in public, sparking questions about his health and prompting some calls for him to step down.

McConnell announced in February that he would not seek re-election as the top Senate Republican for the next Congress, marking the end of his tenure as the longest-serving Senate leader in American history. Last month, Senate Republicans elected Sen. John Thune , R-S.D., the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, as their next leader.

On Tuesday, Thune reassured reporters that McConnell “is fine,” and did not offer additional information about his health.

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Liz Goodwin contributed to this report.