What happened to Mitch McConnell? Update on former GOP leader after falling down the stairs

Senator Mitch McConnell reportedly fell down twice at the Senate Chamber in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, February 5. Before the fall, the 82-year-old confirmed Scott Turner as Trump's Housing and Urban Development Secretary.

As Senator McConnell was exiting the chamber after the announcement, he slipped and fell down a few steps on the stairs. According to Fox News correspondent Chad Pergram, McConnell's security, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin and Montana Senator Steve Daines instantly helped him to his feet.

The Hill reporter Alexander Bolton said Senator McConnell walked to the Mansfield room on his own after the first fall.

However, he suffered a second fall during a GOP lunch conference while carrying a plate in his hand.

Igor Bobic, a senior politics reporter at HuffPost confirmed the second fall on X, adding Senator McConnell was able to get up and was surrounded by his colleagues.

Concerns for McConnell's health grew following the incident, with many questioning his stability to serve in his position. Aside from the fall, frequent pauses during the Senator's speech and frozen movements stirred further concerns.

In February last year, Senator McConnell announced he would resign from his position as the Senate Leader in November. However, he said he would serve the remainder of his Senate term in a different role, ending in January 2027.

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Mitch McConnell was seen in a wheelchair post-fall

After suffering two unfortunate falls on the same day, Senator Mitch McConnell was captured in a wheelchair inside the Capitol building on Wednesday. A representative of the 82-year-old Senator updated Newsweek about his health:

"Senator McConnell is fine. The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work."

However, Mitch McConnell's latest fall was followed by multiple similar health concerns in recent years.

In December 2024, Senator McConnell fell after another Senate lunch, leading to a sprained wrist and a cut on his face for which he had to get a brace and a band-aid. However, he resumed the rest of his schedule for the day at the time.

Following the meeting, a medical team carrying a wheelchair and Senate Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso who hosted the luncheon, assisted McConnell back to his office at the Capitol.

Senator John Thune of South Dakota later informed the press that Sen. Mitch McConnell was "fine" after the fall.

The longest-serving Senate leader was hospitalized in March 2023 after a fall at a Washington, DC hotel. According to an ABC News article from March 14, 2023, McConnell suffered a concussion and a minor fracture in his ribs after the fall and needed medical attention. He was discharged after a few days.

In July 2023, reports emerged about Mitch McConnell falling down the stairs of a flight at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. He reportedly did not receive serious injuries from the fall. The same month, McConnell froze mid-speech at a news conference.

When asked for an explanation, his spokesperson told reporters that the Senator felt dizzy. Later, McConnell assured that he was "fine".