During a 9/11 memorial service at the Pentagon, Donald Trump appeared older than ever as he struggled to keep his eyes open. On September 11, Melania Trump joined the president for a powerful speech at the location of the terrorist attack that killed 184 service people 24 years earlier. “On Sept. 11, 2001, those same walls built with the sweat and muscle blood of our parents and grandparents were scarred by flame and shaken by terror as our country came face to face with pure evil on that fateful day, savage monsters attacked the very symbols of our civilization.” he said.
He further added, “In the years that followed, America’s warriors, avenged the fallen and sent an unmistakable message to every enemy around the world, ‘If you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down, and we will find you, go all over the sometimes-magnificent Earth. We will crush you without mercy, and we will triumph without question.'”
Following his speech, he seemed to struggle to maintain his enthusiasm, as he seemed to nod off during the ceremony.
A video of Donald sitting next to the first lady and struggling to keep his eyes open was posted on X. Melania looks straight ahead as the commander-in-chief’s eyelids briefly flicker closed. Actually, FLOTUS appears agitated by her husband’s incapacity to remain vigilant while wearing a black dress and big, matching shades. In the video, Melania is seen moving away from Donald rather than nudge him or look his way.
People rushed to comment on Donald’s appearance when the video of him seemingly catching some Z’s was posted online. “Let’s be honest. @realDonaldTrump looks absolutely awful,” one X user commented. Others believed Donald should have taken a page out of Melania’s fashion book. “He should wear sunglasses like the wife so they can’t see him napping,” another wrote.
24 years ago today, our nation was attacked, thousands of innocent lives were taken, and our city was changed forever.
As we honor those we lost today, we are also reminded of the extraordinary first responders who answered the call. They ran up the towers when everyone else was… pic.twitter.com/DVGGr9tVwi
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) September 11, 2025
The age difference between Donald and Melania Trump, which a doctor previously warned could be hurting tabloids, was only emphasized by Melania Trump’s effortlessly gorgeous outfit. “As people age, they may experience declining health or mobility issues,” Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist from NYC, told us in June. “This can place strain on the caregiving spouse, who may need to take on more responsibilities in terms of physical care, household tasks, or managing medical appointments.”
In Washington, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the Pentagon ceremony, where the names of the 184 people killed there were read aloud, with a bell tolled for each. In Shanksville, Pennsylvania people gathered to remember the… pic.twitter.com/Sofa3B5hdv
— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) September 11, 2025
Melania has reportedly tried to avoid Donald since his inauguration. She has spent very little time at the White House during his second term, which may indicate that she was burdened by caring for her older husband. Nicki Swift questioned celebrity love counselor Nicole Moore about the potential effects of Melania’s few visits to Donald on their relationship, a month before the president seemed to doze off during the 9/11 event.
Nicki Swift spoke to experts who said Melania’s response—or lack thereof—to her husband’s napping on September 11th provided insight. She appeared to be acting more as a caregiver, and there was a severe lack of closeness between them.
