24.04.2026 16:31
US President Donald Trump fell asleep during a meeting at the White House. Trump, who will turn 80 in two months, was mocked by his opponents for the moments he was seen sleeping. This brought to mind Trump's 2024 jab at former President Biden for falling asleep on camera, when he said, 'You will never see me sleeping in front of a camera.'
US President Donald Trump's nodding off during an official meeting at the White House has become a hot topic. After the footage aired, his political rivals issued sharp criticisms, while comments about "double standards" were made regarding Trump, who had previously criticized Joe Biden over similar footage.
TRUMP FALLS ASLEEP IN MEETING
A notable moment occurred at the White House while Len Schleifer, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Regeneron, was explaining an experimental drug developed for hearing loss caused by a rare disease. Around the 20th minute of the meeting, as diseases like Alzheimer's, for which there is yet no definitive cure, were being discussed, Trump's eyelids appeared heavy and his head slowly dropped forward. These moments were captured on camera.
"SLEEPY DON" REFERENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
After the footage spread, California Governor Gavin Newsom targeted Trump. In a post on social media platform X, Newsom used the phrase "Sleepy Don" for Trump. The shared videos showed Trump momentarily dozing off, then suddenly jerking awake, and closing his eyes again. In one post, Newsom commented, "Sleeping at the wheel."
HE WAS CRITICIZING BIDEN
Following these developments, Trump's statements from 2024 were brought back to the agenda. At the time, Trump had claimed that former President Joe Biden dozed off in front of cameras, saying, "He has the ability to fall asleep in front of the camera... He sleeps like a rock in minutes." In that same speech, he had stated that he would never be caught sleeping on camera.
POLITICAL DEBATE GROWS
Trump, who will turn 80 in June, has faced renewed debate over his health and age following the footage. While his political rivals have criticized the situation, his supporters argue that the images are being exaggerated.