President Donald Trump faced renewed criticism after he seemed to struggle to stay awake during a televised cabinet meeting, just after claiming he was “more alert than I was 25 years ago.”
This incident comes on the heels of his critique of recent reports in The New York Times, implying he has slowed down during his second term.
He began the meeting by condemning the media for what he called unfair reporting and dismissing worries about his age and health. However, as cabinet officials provided detailed assessments of his policies, cameras captured the 79-year-old leader frequently closing his eyes for extended periods and pausing briefly while standing.
The signs of fatigue became clearer as successive secretaries spoke. Footage depicted Trump with drooping eyes as officials from commerce, agriculture, and treasury delivered their comments.
The most noticeable moments occurred when Secretary of State Marco Rubio was speaking from a seat beside the President, with a close camera shot emphasizing Trump’s prolonged stillness and apparent dozing.
The White House denied that Trump had fallen asleep, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting he was “attentively listening” during what she described as a “three-hour marathon meeting.” She praised the President’s engagement and mentioned he later answered questions from journalists.
This marks the second time this month that Trump appeared visibly tired during an official event. Video from a November 6 Oval Office gathering showed him struggling to keep his eyes open for nearly 20 minutes. Those images went viral, reigniting discussions about his stamina.
While brief moments of drowsiness are common in individuals of his age, these scenes carry political weight, especially considering Trump’s longstanding criticism of Joe Biden, whom he often mocks as “Sleepy Joe.” Trump has frequently criticized Biden for appearing exhausted in public and has previously stated that a president dozing off on camera is “unbecoming.”
