Catching some power naps here and there could be great for productivity, unless you’re at a live public event at the White House. That’s why a new video appearing to show President Donald Trump briefly falling asleep during an Oval Office event in Washington, DC, has reignited concerns about his health and fitness for office, prompting renewed calls from critics and Republicans for discussions surrounding the 25th Amendment.
The incident occurred on Thursday in Washington, DC, during an event announcing nearly $700 million in federal support for the coal industry. As Energy Secretary Chris Wright spoke beside him, the 79-year-old president appeared to close his eyes for an extended period while seated behind the Resolute Desk. Footage circulating online showed Trump leaning slightly to one side as other officials continued speaking.
The moment quickly spread across social media, where critics revived the nickname “Sleepy Don” and questioned the president’s health. Some users argued the footage was evidence of a growing pattern, while supporters dismissed the claims as exaggerated or politically motivated. “The president is clearly unwell,” one widely shared post read. Another commenter suggested it was time for Vice President J. D. Vance to take over presidential duties, referencing the constitutional process outlined in the 25th Amendment.
The latest controversy comes just days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Trump during a congressional hearing. When confronted by Representative Ted Lieu with videos allegedly showing the president dozing off during previous events, Rubio insisted he had never witnessed Trump sleeping during official duties. “I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio said during the exchange. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep.”
Do Republicans want him out?
One of the most shared clips of the moment actually came from an X page named Republicans Against Trump, where they also accused the US President that he “fell asleep again during a public event in the Oval Office today” and that “He now falls asleep at virtually every public event where he’s seated. We can only imagine what happens when the cameras aren’t there.”
Such sentiments have further sparked arguments in the comment section, where people defending Trump even called out former President Joe Biden for doing the same thing, “what a short memory dumocrats have, sleepy creeper joe biden fell asleep constantly on camera.” Other Trump supporters were denying that the current President fell asleep and that he only blinked prolongingly, “No show the video that you took this picture of when he blinked.”
Trump critics, however, were convinced that the President indeed fell asleep. “Idc what some of you say he definitely dozed off.. the irony is amazing, real life is funnier then fiction,” says an X commenter. “He’s an octogenarian – presidency shouldn’t be allowed under 45 or over 70,” argues another. With the 2026 political season heating up, the debate over Trump’s age and condition appears unlikely to fade anytime soon.
