Elaine Chao was trolled on X after Mitch McConnell froze during press conference second time in a row. Social media users claimed that it was high time the 81 year old Republican retired.
Elaine Chao is a Taiwanese-American political figure who has held prominent roles in the United States government. Born on March 26, 1953, in Taipei, Taiwan, Chao immigrated to the United States with her family at a young age. She is known for her extensive experience in both the public and private sectors.
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Chao’s political career began in the 1980s when she served in various roles within the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration. In 2001, she was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate to become the 24th United States Secretary of Labor. She held this position until 2009, making her the first Asian American woman to be appointed to a President’s Cabinet in U.S. history.
In 2017, Chao was again nominated to a President’s Cabinet, this time by President Donald Trump. She became the 18th United States Secretary of Transportation and was responsible for overseeing the country’s transportation systems, including roadways, air travel, and maritime transportation. Chao’s tenure as Secretary of Transportation involved managing significant infrastructure projects and dealing with regulatory challenges within the transportation industry.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze while speaking to reporters for the second time in less than a month.
In response to a question on whether he will seek reelection in 2026 at a press conference in Covington, Kentucky, the 81-year-old stopped for more than 30 seconds.
The senator’s aides tried to prompt him, but Mr. McConnell needed a few more seconds to respond.
He then responded to two more queries, which staff had to repeat.
Before leaving with assistants, he made no remarks concerning his health.
McConnell, the leader of the Republican party’s slim congressional majority in the upper chamber, was hospitalised for a week in March after falling outside a hotel in the Washington, D.C., region and suffering a concussion and a cracked rib.
He was moved to a recovery centre, and he didn’t come back to the Senate until mid-April.
Following the July event involving the freezing, the US media claimed that Mr. McConnell had suffered at least three further falls since February.
As Congress works to avert a partial government shutdown at the end of October, this most recent incident will once more raise concerns about the senator from Kentucky’s health as the country enters what will be a busy autumn legislative session.
Concern over Mr McConnell’s health follows questions about the condition of 90-year-old California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who was absent from the chamber for months after being diagnosed with a severe case of shingles.
The average age for members of the US Senate is 65.
