WASHINGTON — During a marathon Cabinet meeting held at the White House on Tuesday, Donald Trump was captured by television cameras closing his eyes repeatedly as senior officials delivered their reports.
The session, which extended beyond two hours, marked his administration’s end-of-year gathering and included moments of apparent fatigue: Trump’s eyes closed on multiple occasions, totaling nearly six minutes of drowsiness, according to one news outlet.
The meeting opened with Trump reaffirming his sharpness and energy despite his age (he is 79), but observers noted a stark contrast between his remarks and his body language. While the president insisted he remained in command, press secretary Karoline Leavitt described him as “listening attentively and running the entire meeting.”
Several moments during the meeting drew attention: while Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, spoke about naval-based drug interdiction operations, Trump remained seated with his eyes closed multiple times. There were also lighter moments — the Budget Director was seen doodling during the session, and a nameplate mis-spelled Hegseth’s title as “ssecretary of war.”
Critics and observers seized on the footage. Ted Lieu, a member of Congress, posted a video clip and publicly mocked Trump’s drowsiness, questioning his fitness for office. Supporters of the president pushed back, pointing to his later press conference and his frequent social-media activity the night before — which included dozens of posts, possibly contributing to fatigue.
The incident adds to growing scrutiny about Trump’s stamina and alertness in high-stakes settings. Earlier in the month, he was also caught on camera appearing sluggish in meetings, prompting fresh debate about age and leadership capability.
Nonetheless, the meeting produced substantive policy announcements — including new immigration stances and military operations — even as the optics of a nodding-off president dominated the post-meeting commentary. With the public and media focus on his physical alertness, Trump’s supporters say the emphasis is misplaced, while critics argue that leadership demands constant vigilance.
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