Video: Trump ‘sleeping’ during cabinet meeting? After years of mocking ‘sleepy Joe’, viral clip explodes online. White House responds
The video quickly gained traction online, triggering comparisons to Trump’s long-running mockery of Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe.”
In the footage released by Newsom, Trump sits motionless for several seconds, apparently with his head down and eyes closed, then leans forward again.
Trump repeated this several times throughout the three-hour cabinet session, including remarks from commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, according to People, which also covered the incident.
According to reports, observers noted that the meeting took place after Trump’s intense online activities. The president reportedly posted more than 160 times on Truth Social between 7 p.m. and midnight, and was active again before 6 a.m. the next morning. People highlighted this, along with previous reports from The New York Times about Trump’s diminished public schedule and occasional signs of fatigue when his “batteries show signs of wearing out.”
White House vehemently denies Trump napping claim
The White House strongly denied the allegations. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the president was not asleep, saying:
“President Trump was listening intently and led the entire three-hour marathon cabinet meeting.”
He urged critics to rewatch Trump’s closing speech at the post-meeting press conference, calling it “an epic moment that puts an exclamation point on the ninth cabinet meeting of President Trump’s second term.” Leavitt also echoed the administration’s recent messaging regarding Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
Trump faced “sleeper” headlines for the second time
This isn’t the first time Trump has been accused of publicly shaking his head. During his criminal trial in New York last year, multiple reporters, including a New York Times reporter, noted instances in which his “mouth went slack and his head dropped to his chest.”
Trump angrily denied these reports at the time, writing:
“Unlike the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I can’t sleep… I just close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, I listen intensely and take in EVERYTHING!!!”
Irony: Trump has long mocked Biden for being sleepy
The latest controversy comes just weeks after Trump again criticized Joe Biden for supposedly falling asleep during public events. Speaking alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month, Trump told reporters:
“He’s always sleeping… I’m not a sleeper.”
This comment resurfaced after Trump’s new video went viral.
Questions about endurance, age and fitness
While both Biden and Trump continue to face questions about age and physical stamina heading into a heated political season, Trump has repeatedly emphasized what he calls “excellent health.” Recently, he responded to The New York Times’ reports about his daily routine, claiming that he had completed “an EXCELLENT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND AN EXTENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST (“This was successful”).”
Input from agencies
