President Donald Trump appeared to grow drowsy at several moments during the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, December 2. Throughout the nearly three hour session, the seventy nine year old president was seen narrowing his eyes and, at times, closing them completely while Cabinet members delivered reports and praised his leadership.
One particularly noticeable moment occurred as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke, when Trump shut his eyes for several seconds before leaning forward to reengage. The meeting followed a late night posting spree on Truth Social the previous evening, during which Trump shared more than one hundred sixty posts between 7 p.m. and midnight. He resumed posting early Tuesday morning, shortly before 6 a.m.
In response to questions about the presidents demeanor, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that Trump remained fully involved throughout the meeting. She described it as a demanding, hours long session that the president led from start to finish and pointed to his forceful comments during the closing press conference.
The incident echoes previous reports from last year, when Trump was described as briefly drifting off during his criminal trial in New York. At the time, he dismissed such accounts on social media, arguing that he simply closed his eyes to focus and absorb information.
As the oldest person ever elected to the presidency, Trump has faced increasing scrutiny regarding his stamina and schedule. A recent report from The New York Times noted that his public appearances during his second term have become more limited, suggesting occasional signs of fatigue. Trump rejected the assessment, citing recent physical and cognitive evaluations that he said demonstrated his continued fitness.
The president has often contrasted his own energy level with that of former President Joe Biden, whom he has repeatedly criticized for appearing tired in public. After images circulated last month showing Trump with his eyes closed during an Oval Office announcement, he responded by accusing Biden of sleeping frequently during the day and night.
While meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump remarked that both leaders often work and communicate at unusual hours, saying that their dedication to their countries keeps them focused rather than resting.
