President Donald Trump, 79, became the subject of renewed scrutiny after appearing to nod off multiple times during his own Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. The nearly two-and-a-half-hour session, which was televised and meant to showcase his administration’s accomplishments, instead captured the commander-in-chief struggling to keep his eyes open as Cabinet members delivered effusive praise.
Before the meeting began, Trump had insisted to reporters that he was sharper than he was 25 years ago and complained about media attention on his health rather than his policy achievements. He criticized coverage of his predecessor, claiming the press had portrayed Biden as being in wonderful health while questioning Trump’s own fitness. The president argued that he conducts multiple news conferences daily and always provides correct answers, yet the media continues to focus on his well-being.
Despite these assurances, photographers captured Trump with his eyes closed for extended periods throughout the meeting. The Washington Post calculated that the president had closed his eyes for nearly six cumulative minutes during the session. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed what he characterized as the most transformational year in American foreign policy since World War II, Trump rolled his head forward and shut his eyes.
The apparent drowsiness may have been connected to Trump’s late-night social media activity. The president had posted over 160 times on Truth Social the previous night, suggesting a lack of sleep before the demanding Cabinet session. Trump’s personal physician stated in a 2018 report during his first term that the president typically sleeps only four to five hours nightly, well below the recommended seven to nine hours for men his age.
California Governor Gavin Newsom seized on the moment, posting a video of the sleepy-looking Trump with the caption calling him “Dozy Don,” a play on Trump’s own “Sleepy Joe” nickname for Biden. The incident marks the latest in a series of occasions where Trump has appeared to doze during public events. Last month, he closed his eyes during a press conference about weight-loss drugs, specifically when Dr. Mehmet Oz was discussing obesity. In May 2024, Trump appeared to drift off during his Manhattan criminal trial.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly defended the president’s alertness. She stated that Trump was listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting, pointing to his detailed final answer during the press conference as evidence of his engagement throughout the session.
Fox News medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel offered an unusual defense of Trump’s behavior during an appearance on Laura Ingraham’s show. The doctor compared the president to inventor Thomas Edison, noting that Edison believed in the 10-minute nap. Ingraham joined the defense, acknowledging that she also sometimes closes her eyes when people talk for too long and suggested it was no significant issue given the results Trump delivers.
During the Cabinet meeting, cameras also captured Trump wearing two Band-Aids on his right hand when he briefly touched his face. The president’s right hand typically shows persistent bruising, which he usually covers with makeup. A medical report released on July 17 diagnosed Trump with chronic venous insufficiency, describing it as a benign and common condition in individuals over 70.
Trump is the oldest person ever elected to the presidency, a distinction that has fueled ongoing questions about his stamina and fitness for office. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously stated that no one knows when Trump sleeps, marveling at his constant work schedule and noting that none of the White House team can keep up with him.
Author Michael Wolff offered a different interpretation of Trump’s Cabinet room behavior, suggesting that the president has become bored by the relentless flattery from his team members. Wolff argued that while Trump needs and demands sycophantic praise, he simultaneously grows irritated by it because he sees through the artificial nature of the compliments.
The Tuesday meeting came as Trump continued to reference a New York Times article about his aging and reduced workload during his second term. He called the piece a hit piece on Truth Social and insisted he was not losing energy. During the Cabinet session, he slipped into third person to declare that Trump is sharp while criticizing the newspaper’s reporters as lacking sharpness themselves.
As Cabinet members took turns praising the president, Trump spent most of the meeting with his hands planted under the desk. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to explain controversial military actions while Trump’s eyelids drooped. The scene underscored the tension between the administration’s claims of presidential vigor and the visual evidence captured by cameras in the Cabinet Room.