关于的新细节参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔的健康在周三国会山一个不寻常的插曲后出现他在新闻发布会上被吓呆了不得不暂时回到他的办公室。
消息人士告诉ABC新闻，尽管这位81岁的肯塔基州议员一再表示他“很好”，但两周前他确实在华盛顿特区摔了一跤，并定期使用轮椅四处走动。
据消息人士称，麦康奈尔于7月14日在里根国家机场的喷气式飞机桥上坠落。
航班被取消了，原因与他摔倒无关。麦康奈尔随后返回国会大厦。有消息称，他很好，没有受到严重伤害。
他的办公室拒绝对此事发表评论，并在周三拒绝回答有关他健康的其他问题。
麦康奈尔此前在3月下跌在那里他遭受了脑震荡和肋骨骨折。消息人士称，从那时起，这位共和党领袖就定期使用轮椅四处走动。
NBC新闻是第一个报道麦康奈尔在机场的摔倒和他的轮椅使用。
当被要求对使用轮椅发表评论时，麦康奈尔的办公室告诉美国广播公司新闻，这是“在拥挤的地区简单的谨慎和预防措施。”
媒体还没有看到麦康奈尔在国会山使用轮椅，他的办公室距离参议院会议厅和他举行每周新闻发布会的地方只有几步之遥。
在麦康奈尔于2023年7月26日在华盛顿特区举行的新闻发布会上冻结并停止在麦克风前讲话后，参议员约翰·巴拉索伸出手来帮助参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔
德鲁·安格雷尔/盖蒂图片社
他小时候得过小儿麻痹症，长期以来一直承认行走和爬楼梯有困难。
麦康奈尔周三引发了人们的关注，当时他在每周一次的新闻发布会上僵住了，说到一半就沉默了，并在离开前盯着看了大约20秒钟。可以听到他周围的同事问他是否还好。
他被护送回办公室，几分钟后回到讲台，回答了记者的一些问题。事件发生后，他告诉媒体他“很好”。一名助手说参议员感到头晕。
众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡(R-California)表示，作为定期会议的一部分，他在事件发生后与麦康奈尔进行了交谈。
麦卡锡说:“在那次会面中，没有人担心他的健康。”。"那不是很久以后的事，不是--那是我们一直以来的一次正常会面。"
麦卡锡说麦康奈尔“很好”。
周三晚些时候离开国会大厦时，麦康奈尔告诉记者，乔·拜登总统给他打电话登记。他说，他告诉总统，他“被沙袋”，指的是拜登在6月的落马在美国空军学院毕业典礼上。
当记者问麦康奈尔是否知道发生了什么或他是否看过医生时，他说:“要小心那些沙袋。”
“我很好，”他说。
McConnell had minor fall 2 weeks ago, uses wheelchair periodically to get around: Sources
New details aboutSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's healthare emerging after an unusual episode on Capitol Hill on Wednesdayin which he froze up during a press conferenceand had to briefly return to his office.
While the 81-year-old Kentucky lawmaker has repeatedly said since then that he's "fine," he did suffer a fall two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., and uses a wheelchair periodically to get around, sources told ABC News.
McConnell fell on the jet bridge at Reagan National Airport on July 14, according to the sources.
The flight was canceled for reasons unrelated to his fall. McConnell returned to the Capitol afterward. Sources said he was fine and sustained no major injuries.
His office declined to comment on the incident and declined on Wednesday to answer other questions about his health.
McConnellpreviously fell in March, where he suffered a concussion and fractured rib. Since then, the Republican leader has periodically been using a wheelchair to get around, sources said.
NBC Newswas the first to reportMcConnell's fall at the airport and his wheelchair use.
When asked to comment about the use of a wheelchair, McConnell's office told ABC News that it is "simply a prudent and precautionary measure in a crowded area."
McConnell hasn't been seen by the press using a wheelchair on Capitol Hill, where his office is just steps away from the Senate chamber and the location where he holds his weekly press conferences.
He survived polio as a child and has long acknowledged difficulty walking and climbing stairs.
McConnell sparked concern Wednesday when he froze at his weekly press conference, going silent mid-sentence and staring off for about 20 seconds before stepping away. Colleagues around him could be heard asking if he was OK.
He was escorted back to his office and returned to the podium minutes later, where he answered some questions from reporters. He told the press he was "fine" after the incident. An aide said the senator was feeling lightheaded.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he spoke with McConnell after the episode as part of a regularly scheduled meeting.
"There was no concerns about his health in that meeting," McCarthy said. "That wasn't that much long after, no -- it was a normal meeting that we've always had."
McCarthy said McConnell "was good."
When leaving the Capitol later Wednesday, McConnell told reporters that President Joe Biden had called him to check in. He said he told the president he "got sandbagged," a reference toBiden's fall in Juneduring the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony.
"Got to watch those sandbags," McConnell said as reporters asked if he knew what happened or if he'd seen a doctor.
"I'm fine," he said.
