U.S. President Donald Trump falling asleep during his own cabinet meetings has now become a matter of concern. Previously, during a press conference held on November 7 at the Oval Office, where the connections between obesity and tiredness were discussed, Trump was caught with his eyes closed. He did not open them till a person behind him collapsed and had to be escorted out of the room.
The incident naturally drew a lot of attention as the President’s ability to handle his responsibilities was questioned. The Trump administration, however, flatly denied the possibility President being unwell and came up with a bunch of vague reasons for him to keep his eyes closed during the meeting.
However, something similar happened during the press conference that took place on December 2. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke next to Trump, the President could be seen leaning back with his eyes closed, resting his head on his hands, and visibly struggling to remain awake and alert.
Donald Trump is not fit to be President.
Sleepy Don can’t even stay awake at his own televised Cabinet meeting. https://t.co/TWdBw6MQTf
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 2, 2025
California Rep. Ted Lieu did not want to let this opportunity to criticize Trump pass. He shared the clip and captioned it, “Donald Trump is not fit to be President.” He then added, “Sleepy Don can’t even stay awake at his own televised Cabinet meeting.”
Ironically, in this meeting, Trump boasted of his great health and even said that he felt sharper than he was 25 years back. He referred back to Joe Biden, whom he had nicknamed “Sleepy Joe” as part of his presidential campaign, and talked about the media’s bias for him. According to Trump, the media are way too obsessed with his health despite him regularly doing press conferences, something he claimed that Biden did not do.
Unfortunately, the footage of Trump struggling to stay awake did not match his words. His health has been a source of concern, and he even had to take his official medical exam twice in six months. During the second exam, Trump had to get an MRI, and the reasons behind that were not made clear until Monday, when his physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, provided more details about the same.
According to the doctor, “As part of President Donald Jr. Trump’s comprehensive executive physical, advanced imaging was performed because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health. The purpose of this imaging is preventative: to identify issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure he maintains long-term vitality and function.”
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However, medical experts have shown their skepticism regarding this explanation, as it is generally unlikely for people to undergo MRIs without any signs of particular illnesses. Besides the visible signs of aging, Trump has also been taking his second term in a more relaxed mood in comparison to his first one.
Recently, a report published in The New York Times highlighted the fact that the president’s day now starts as late as 10:30 a.m. and his public appearances have also reduced in number. However, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt readily called the report “fake news” and, following her boss’s style, drifted the conversation back to Biden.
As Trump and his aides continue deflecting his health concerns and do their best to show that the President is doing great, Trump’s frequent falling asleep at important meetings is becoming a hindrance to making that effort a success.
