Mitch McConnell did not have a stroke as he froze and struggled to speak, doctor says

A physician on Tuesday said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., does not have a seizure disorder and did not have a stroke, with the confirmation coming after the Republican leader has frozen multiple times in front of reporters.

Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of the U.S. Congress, said in a letter addressed to McConnell that there is “no evidence” he has a movement disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease, or that he had a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini stroke, USA TODAY has confirmed.

Monahan explained in the letter that he examined McConnell, and the Republican leader received brain imaging, consultations with multiple neurologists and other assessments.

More: Mitch McConnell to consult doctor after freezing, struggling to speak for second time this summer

The assessment came after McConnell froze before a gaggle of reporters last month at an event in Kentucky. He was asked about running for reelection in 2026 and appeared to begin an answer before quickly freezing and going silent for seven seconds.

After the incident in Kentucky, Monahan said in a separate note that the lawmaker has experienced "occasional lightheadedness" from dehydration and a previous concussion.

It’s the second time in recent months such an incident has interrupted a news conference featuring McConnell. During a news conference late last month at the U.S. Capitol, McConnell abruptly stopped speaking and stood silently for roughly 28 seconds. He was then escorted away from a lectern by his Republican colleagues.

McConnell was hospitalized in March for a fractured rib and concussion he suffered from a fall at a hotel in Washington.

The Republican lawmaker has fallen at least two other times this year – once at a Washington, D.C., airport on July 14 and another time during a foreign trip in February – a source close to the senator who is familiar with his work habits confirmed with USA TODAY.

President Joe Biden said last Thursday that he spoke to McConnell on the phone and that the Republican leader was “his old self.” Biden said he has an understanding of what McConnell is going through based on conversations with neurosurgeons.

“It's not at all unusual to have the response that sometimes happens to Mitch when you've had a severe concussion. It’s part of the recovery. And so I’m confident, he’s going to be back to his old self.”

Contributing: Phillip M. Bailey, Savannah Kuchar, Erin Mansfield and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After McConnell freezes, doctor denies he had stroke, mini stroke