President Donald Trump has pushed back against claims that he fell asleep during recent White House events, saying photographers caught him mid-blink rather than nodding off.
Footage from a recent Cabinet meeting circulated online appeared to show the president sitting motionless, with his eyes closed at moments, prompting renewed scrutiny.
Why It Matters
At 79, Trump is the oldest person to assume the presidency, and questions about his age and health have increasingly surfaced. Images and videos showing him with his eyes closed while seated at official events have fueled speculation about whether he briefly fell asleep.
What to Know
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Thursday, Trump denied dozing off. He said he sometimes closes his eyes intentionally, describing it as “very relaxing.”
“Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink,” Trump said.
During a Cabinet meeting last month that lasted more than 90 minutes, Trump appeared at times to struggle to stay alert as Cabinet secretaries spoke. Video from the session showed him leaning back in his chair, his eyes drooping and occasionally fully closed, while others addressed the room.
Previously, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek that Trump was “listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting.”
In the Wall Street Journal interview, Trump insisted his health is “perfect.” He acknowledged that he does not sleep well at night, adding that he has “never been a big sleeper.”
Trump also clarified earlier remarks about undergoing an MRI at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in October, saying the procedure was actually a CT scan. According to the Journal, the scan was conducted to rule out cardiovascular issues and showed no abnormalities.
“In retrospect, it’s too bad I took it because it gave them a little ammunition,” Trump said. “I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong.”
