During a high-profile White House event focused on “Making Health Technology Great Again,” former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to struggle to remain fully alert, drawing significant public and media attention. The incident occurred as other prominent figures addressed the audience, raising questions about his stamina.
The event saw the president speaking for approximately ten minutes before ceding the floor to other key participants, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Mehmet Oz. It was during Oz’s address that observers noted Trump’s eyelids visibly growing heavier.
This public display of drowsiness quickly became a focal point, particularly given Trump’s recent demanding schedule. He had just returned from an extensive weekend trip to Scotland, which involved high-level meetings with various European leaders and recreational golfing at his private resort, suggesting a potentially exhaustive itinerary.
The current incident, however, is not an isolated one. The former president has faced similar accusations of napping in public on previous occasions, most notably during his legal proceedings last year concerning a hush money case. Eyewitnesses frequently reported seeing him with his eyes closed during courtroom testimonies.
His legal team at the time contended that such moments were merely a result of intense “concentrating” or an attempt to “relax.” However, these explanations were often disputed by those present, with some directly asserting that they observed him falling asleep.
Reporters covering the events, such as MSNBC analyst Jonathan Alter, corroborated these observations, stating, “I was in the courtroom. I saw him falling asleep. This is not ‘reportedly.’ This actually happened.” Similarly, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted that “people around” Trump confirmed he was dozing “at times,” though he was also awake with his eyes closed at other moments.
The recent televised incident at the White House ignited a fresh wave of criticism, especially from those who recalled Trump’s consistent mockery of his political rivals, including his coining of “Sleepy Joe” for former President Joe Biden and “low energy” for Jeb Bush. This perceived hypocrisy fueled a rapid response across social media platforms.
Numerous online commentators and public figures seized upon the footage, with many sharing clips and adding sardonic remarks about “Sleepy Don.” The juxtaposition of Trump’s past criticisms with his own apparent struggle to stay awake became a key theme in the ensuing online discourse, turning the moment into a viral talking point.
The event underscored the intense scrutiny public figures face, where even a brief moment of apparent inattention can generate widespread discussion and reignite past controversies, particularly when it contradicts a carefully curated public image. The ongoing public fascination with such instances highlights the perpetual nature of political commentary and public perception.
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