Doctor gives 81-year-old Mitch McConnell permission to continue working after second stoppage – as Biden defends his “friend” and dismisses claims the Senate minority leader isn’t up to the task
- The Capitol doctor gave Mitch McConnell permission to resume his normal schedule
- Coming just 24 hours after McConnell’s 30-second freeze on Wednesday
Mitch McConnell has been medically cleared to continue his work despite facing a stop-work order for the second time in a month amid fears he will no longer be able to continue serving as Senate Republican leader.
After the worrying incident, the 81-year-old consulted Capitol doctor Dr. Brian Monahan, according to a news release Thursday in which the doctor said McConnell was “medically cleared” to continue his usual work.
dr Monahan said it’s normal to feel lightheaded when recovering from a concussion. He also said the episode could have been due to dehydration.
The very quick all-clear comes as reports emerge that a handful of Republican senators are discussing holding a meeting given McConnell’s deteriorating health. It does not appear that the party leadership is involved in these alleged discussions.
At least a dozen GOP offices, contacted by , said they were not aware of any meetings on the issue.
President Joe Biden said Thursday he spoke with his “friend” after the latest public stop.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze for about 30 seconds while answering questions from reporters in Kentucky on Wednesday. This was another troubling on-camera appearance that heightened concerns about his age, health and suitability for office
“On the phone he was like he used to be,” said the 80-year-old Biden. “It’s not at all unusual to have the reaction that sometimes happens to Mitch when you’ve had a serious concussion.”
McConnell fell and hit his head at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., in March. That fall led to a hospital stay where he was diagnosed with a concussion and broken ribs.
The Kentucky Republican’s recovery was expected to last six weeks this fall.
He has since had to freeze twice at press conferences where he needed help being led away from the podium.
“I consulted with Leader McConnell and consulted with his neurology team,” said Dr. Monahan in the statement, implying that he did not conduct his own assessment of McConnell.
He added: “I have informed Leader McConnell that for medical reasons it is clear to him to continue with his schedule as planned.”
The first crash happened in late July when McConnell was speaking to fellow lawmakers during a press conference outside the Senate room. He was asked about his future plans before freezing without saying anything for several seconds.
Now, just over a month later, an eerily similar situation occurred in Covington, Kentucky, when a reporter asked McConnell if he planned to run for re-election in 2026 – leading to a nearly 30-second interruption as a counselor stepped in and asked people to ‘speak out loud.’