Donald Trump has finally realized he will never beat the “Dozy Don” allegations, so he’s found a new excuse for closing his eyes during drawn-out meetings and press briefings.
On more than one occasion, broadcast cameras have caught the president counting sheep and catching up on some sleep instead of being attentive to diplomatic matters.
His documented catnaps are often used as evidence fueling rumors about his declining health, despite Trump, 79, vehemently denying that Father Time is tapping him on the shoulder.
Trump’s team, like White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and medical professionals, argues that the senior citizen is not losing consciousness during those moments; instead, he is utilizing “a listening mechanism.”
Trump boasts about getting less than the recommended eight hours of shut-eye in the new “Superman President” profile published by New York Magazine on Jan. 26. “I think five hours is plenty. I find that when I’m really myself, I sleep less,” he said.
The comment was a clue for what he later told the reporter was to blame for his public slumbers. In particular, he bemoaned that his cronies are to blame for the impromptu rests. “It’s boring as hell,” Trump said about cabinet meetings, where his colleagues regularly take turns stroking his ego.
photos of Trump sleeping through yesterday's Oval Office event via Andrew Harnik of Getty pic.twitter.com/zurDLxkFVt
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 7, 2025
He complained, “I’m going around a room, and I’ve got 28 guys — the last one was three and a half hours. I have to sit back and listen, and I move my hand so that people will know I’m listening. I’m hearing every word, and I can’t wait to get out.”
The justification exploded on social media. One person stated, “So he admitted he falls asleep, but argues the reason as to why?! Haha ok.”
A second individual blamed the roundtable adulation for lengthy gatherings. They wrote, “Trump has no idea how boring those meaningless, praise dear leader with fawning fealty meetings are. Theater of the absurd.”
“The only thing Trump is interested in is grifting the American people and padding his pockets,” surmised a fourth reader. For others, Trump’s admission was a reminder of how unfit he may be for the Oval Office. A critic tweeted, “With his declining physical & mental health and his lack of interest in the job he should resign.”
Trump falls asleep again during a meeting on live television. If Joe Biden had done this, the media would’ve turned it into a week-long crisis. But with this clown, they shrug because he gives them the clicks that fatten their wallets. Total failures. https://t.co/f33xrg5e1e pic.twitter.com/thbH6GkZtO
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) December 2, 2025
Ironically, in the same interview, Rubio admitted to cocooning himself in a blanket during international flights on board Air Force One to hide his sleeping moments from the president.
“I know that at some point on the flight, he’s going to emerge from the cabin and start prowling the hallways to see who is awake.” He doesn’t want Trump to catch him nodding off and to think, “‘Oh, this guy is weak.’” His comments furthered speculation about Trump’s mental fitness amid his incessant twilight tweeting sprees.
“Sleep disturbances are common in the elderly. Also, people with Alzheimer’s have abnormal sleep patterns. I wish people would stop treating his lack of sleep as a sign of virility. It is not. It is also likely why he is so somnolent during the day,” an X user wrote.
— Yiddish_Liberty (@Yiddish_Liberty) January 26, 2026
The reality TV star’s father, Fred Trump, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He passed away at age 86. His son swears that cognitive tests have ruled out concerns regarding dementia and similar illnesses.
