An 83-year-old Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell took a tumble on Thursday in the basement of a Capitol building while facing a question about US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The viral footage shows the Republican walking unaided before suddenly collapsing to his side. He is later helped up by his security and a Capitol Police officer. An activist with the Sunrise Movement asked McConnell whether he supports ICE “taking working people off the streets and kidnapping them” just moments before the senator fell. A spokesperson later reassured The Independent that McConnell is “all good.” He was en route to cast votes on short-term spending bills aimed at ending the government shutdown.The fall was witnessed by online trolls who started comparing McConnell to 85-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who herself suffered a fall last year. Pelosi was airlifted to a German hospital after tripping on stairs during an official trip to Luxembourg, later undergoing a successful hip replacement. Social media users pointed to the ages of both lawmakers and joked that “both require full-time walking assistance,” pointing out the fact that, despite being in their eighties, neither McConnell nor Pelosi has retired from politics.The incident reignited discussions about the physical demands of public office, especially for leaders well into their 80s. Despite their ages and health scares, both continue to hold influential roles in American politics, with some even joking that Congress needs a hospice wing. Beyond this, both President Trump and former President Biden have also faced criticism over their health and questionable age to govern.
