Mitch McConnell Resignation Calls Intensify After Latest Freeze

Calls for Mitch McConnell to resign have intensified after the Republican senator appeared to freeze for a second time in public during a press conference in his home state of Kentucky on Wednesday.

The 81-year-old senator, the longest-serving GOP leader in American history, was talking to reporters after an event hosted by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in Covington, Kentucky, when he was asked whether he would run again for re-election in 2026.

McConnell, who suffered a series of falls and a serious head injury this year, appeared to freeze for more than 30 seconds, standing motionless with his lips pursed and his eyes fixed ahead. When an aide came to ask him if he was okay, he said "yes" but appeared unable to say anything more.

It's the second time this year that the Senate minority leader has frozen during a public event after a very similar incident in July at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The first time McConnell had this type of health scare, several lawmakers—including Donald Trump MAGA loyalists—called on the senator to resign amid concerns over his condition.

Calls for McConnell to give up his post have only grown following Wednesday's incident, with even Republicans and conservative commentators calling for the senator to go.

"Severe aging health issues and/or mental health incompetence in our nation's leaders MUST be addressed," Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"These politician's staff and family members should be ashamed of themselves by enabling and allowing their loved ones to remain in office all to hold power," she added in a following post. "We are talking about our country's national security and it's all at stake! 25th amendment and other measures need to be on the table."

She then compared McConnell's health issues to those of Democrats John Fetterman and Dianne Feinstein.

"We should have term limits in this country," conservative author and journalist Bill O'Reilly said on NewsNation on Wednesday.

"​​This is horrifying and dangerous. Biden. McConnell. Fetterman. Feinstein. They all need to go. End this charade already," wrote on X Republican Monica Crowley, former United States assistant secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs, sharing a clip from McConnell's latest incident.

"I think Mitch is very much expendable, he's not with the base, and I think he's made very clear that his priorities with Ukraine and other things have nothing to do with where the Republican base is right now," conservative activist and founder of American Majority Ned Ryun told Fox News on Wednesday.

He added that Sen. John Thune of South Dakota would probably be the one to replace the Senate minority leader.

Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota wrote on X that it was time for the senator to resign.

"For goodness sake, the family, friends and staff of senators Feinstein and McConnell are doing them and our country a tremendous disservice," he wrote. "It's time for term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and some basic human decency."

Members of the public also seemed to think that McConnell should retire because of his increasingly frail condition.

"It's time for Mitch McConnell to go. This is sad to see," wrote on X comedian Terrence K. Williams.

"He is not fit to stand up or lead the GOP. These people are sick, He's having a major health issue and no one called 911! They wanted him to stand there and answer more questions. We need Term Limits. Am I right or Am I RIGHT?"

"Look, I don't especially enjoy watching an old man suffer no matter how endlessly evil he might be, but it's pretty clear that Mitch McConnell needs to retire," wrote an X user on the social media platform.

After Wednesday's incident, a spokesperson for McConnell said the senator had "felt momentarily lightheaded" during the Covington event, but did not provide any further details about the Republican's health.