It seems like President Biden or ‘Sleepy Joe’ is not the only president-elect caught snoozing off during cabinet meetings. Once a critic of Joe Biden falling asleep, the 79-year-old appeared to struggle with keeping his eyes open during a cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025. Trump seemingly appeared to have dozed off after he encouraged every member of his cabinet to speak on their first year’s accomplishments. As Trump dubbed Biden “Sleepy Joe”, social media users aptly bestowed a title of their own: ‘Commander in Sleep.’ This is the third time this year the president has been accused of supposedly nodding off during meetings.
The cabinet gathering lasted over 2 hours and 18 minutes and featured an array of subjects, including a racist tirade against Somali immigrants. During the meeting, Trump also spoke on his militant stance on tackling drug trafficking into the United States. He also confidently boasted his mental aptitude,e stating he is “sharper than I was 25 years ago, but who the hell knows.” However, after delivering such an emphatic address, Trump’s eyes drooped noticeably as cabinet members took turns speaking, which is ironic, as moments before, Trump spoke confidently about his mental fitness.
Trump’s Pre-Meeting Health Claims
Trump initiated the meeting with strong assertions about his physical condition. He criticized former President Biden’s lack of public appearances and health during his presidency. Trump assured everyone that he was mentally cognisant and fit to continue holding office. He also insisted that his recent medical exams showed “All A’s” according to his physician.
Before being caught ‘resting his eyes’, Trump lashed out at journalists, directly criticizing the media coverage questioning his health. “I’ll let you know when there’s something wrong,” Trump said at the meeting’s start. “That’s going to happen to all of us. But right now I think I’m sharper than I was 25 years ago.” However, his confident declaration would fall short as he would then be caught dozing off.
The Moment That Started ‘Commander in Sleep’
About 50 minutes into the cabinet meeting, Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins began speaking. Trump began showing visible signs of fatigue, clearly fighting to stay engaged. He began leaning back and forth in his chair as his eyes waned. When Education Secretary Linda McMahon addressed the room, Trump closed his eyes for short intervals before leaning back and gazing upwards, appearing to lose focus momentarily. These moments lasted longer as additional cabinet members continued sharing their accomplishments and appraisals for Trump.
Approximately 20 minutes later, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke, Trump appeared to close his eyes again while Rubio praised his administration’s foreign policy achievements. Social media users seized on the footage immediately and created the ‘Commander in Sleep’ nickname.
Social Media Erupts With Nicknames and Reactions
The internet wasted no time responding to the cabinet meeting footage. Twitter users flooded the platform with the new nickname ‘Commander in Sleep.’ Some observers also revived older labels like ‘Dozy Don’ from previous fatigue incidents. Video clips circulated rapidly across multiple social media platforms. The hashtag immediately trended across social media within hours of the meeting’s conclusion. Trump’s health has been the subject of intense scrutiny over the past few weeks, with Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz pressing Trump to release his MRI results.
“Look! Commander in sleep, Donald Trump is currently fighting for his life to stay awake during his cabinet meeting,” one viral post read. The tone of discourse surrounding Trump’s supposed napping at meetings ranged from humorous to concern among some users. Some users made memes and edited videos shortly after the incident. Other users questioned whether the president could adequately perform his duties while appearing so exhausted. The nickname ‘Commander in Sleep’ specifically referenced Trump’s military title as commander-in-chief.
White House Defends Trump’s Engagement and Performance
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt came to the defense of Trump, responding to the criticism swiftly. She issued a strong statement defending Trump’s participation and mental acuity. Leavitt claimed the president was “listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting.” She continued to emphasize Trump’s active role throughout the entire cabinet meeting.
Leavitt deflected the comments by drawing attention to Trump’s final remarks during the question-and-answer segment. She pointed to his “amazing final answer” when he criticized Somali migrants and Democrats. The press secretary used this emboldened response from Trump as evidence of his full engagement and energy. Leavitt also stressed that Trump had conducted 9 cabinet meetings total in his second term, which she sees as comparatively more than Biden during his term.
“In all of these historic meetings, the president and his incredible team highlight the exhaustive list of accomplishments they have delivered,” Leavitt stated. She also emphasized the transparency of allowing full press coverage at all cabinet gatherings. The White House press secretary attempted to refocus attention on policy achievements rather than Trump’s apparent fatigue.
Pattern of Fatigue Incidents Raises Questions
The December cabinet meeting was not the first time in recent months that Trump appeared to doze off. In early November, Trump’s eyes apparently grew heavy during an Oval Office event, and he shut his eyes for several seconds. That incident, as this most recent one, has stirred conversation and media coverage on the President’s age and health. However, Trump’s Administration has expressed its disapproval towards media coverage of Trump’s health, in particular, a New York Times report.
The president himself had previously dismissed similar reports from his criminal trial last year in New York. The New York Times published an article where they reported that “Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest,” during the trial’s proceedings. Trump had denied these accounts, posting on Truth Social: “Contrary to the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I don’t fall asleep during the Crooked DA’s Witch Hunt,” posted back in May 2024.
“He sleeps all the time — during the day, during the night, on the beach,” Trump said defensively, criticizing Biden. “I’m not a sleeper.” Trump does appear more frequently in front of the news media than his predecessor Biden, who was dropped out of the presidential race last year. He was replaced with Kamala Harris amidst concerns about his age, mental acumen and cognitive abilities to run against Trump.
Monday Night’s Social Media Marathon Preceded the Meeting
Trump’s visible exhaustion at his most recent cabinet meeting might be connected to his late Monday night online posting. The president posted and shared content consistently on his social media platform, Truth Social, until nearly midnight. Records showed Trump produced over 160 posts between 7 p.m. and midnight on Monday evening. He resumed posting by approximately 5:48 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
“My brain is as sharp as a tack,” Trump declared in one of his late-night posts. The misspelling in some accounts (‘bran’ instead of ‘brain’) added to the irony of the claims. Trump’s typical late-night posting pattern demonstrated a consistent behavior that possibly affected his daytime performance.
Medical Clearance Released Amid Growing Health Scrutiny
The White House released medical information on Monday to address health concerns. Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, provided an updated health assessment. The statement indicated that advanced imaging tests showed excellent cardiovascular results. The doctor claimed the president “remains in excellent overall health” based on these evaluations.
Trump had completed M.R.I. scans in October as part of his semiannual physical examination routine. His annual physical exam had been conducted in April. Despite these clearances, medical experts questioned what specific tests were performed. Some specialists expressed uncertainty about the tests’ relevance and meaning.
The timing of releasing the medical information seemed deliberately positioned. It came just one day before the cabinet meeting where Trump appeared fatigued. The White House likely hoped the health clearance would preempt criticism about stamina. However, the visual evidence from Tuesday’s meeting appeared more compelling than the written health statement.
Polling Shows Growing American Concerns About Trump’s Age
Public opinion data reveals that Americans have become increasingly concerned about Trump’s health and age. A YouGov survey found that 63% of Americans now believe Trump’s health affects his job performance. This is an increase of 7% from 56% before the 2024 election, which shows concerns intensifying since Trump took office.
Even more surprising is that Americans now believe Trump is experiencing cognitive decline. 49% of Americans say Trump is suffering a mild or severe cognitive decline. Only 33% of Americans believe he is not experiencing any cognitive decline and is capable of his presidential role. These numbers demonstrate a dramatic shift in American public perception of Trump’s mental aptitude.
Independents have shown the most dramatic change in attitudes. 51% percent of Independents now believe Trump is experiencing cognitive decline. This represents a significant increase from just 34% in October 2024. Even Republicans and Democrats have shifted their views toward greater concern about Trump’s mental acuity. The polling data reflects genuine public anxiety about presidential fitness.
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Comparing Trump’s Appearance to His Media Presence
Trump does appear before the media far more frequently than his predecessor. President Biden held far fewer press conferences and public events. Trump takes questions from journalists regularly and maintains a large public presence. His willingness to engage with the media stands in contrast to previous administrative approaches.
However, Trump’s frequent media appearances do not prove stamina or fitness. Visual evidence from Tuesday directly contradicted his verbal claims about sharpness. The cabinet meeting showed a disconnect between what Trump says and how he appears physically. His defensive tone at the meeting’s beginning suggested awareness of this contradiction.
The president’s substantial late-night social media activity also contradicted his health claims. If Trump required such extensive sleep, posting until midnight seemed counterproductive. If he truly maintained excellent stamina, appearing fatigued during cabinet work seemed inconsistent. The contradictions created credibility problems for the White House’s health assertions.
Conclusion
While the ‘Commander in Sleep’ nickname could be chalked up to simple internet humor, it has also raised sobering concerns about the president’s mental acumen while running a country. Trump is the oldest person to hold the presidential office in America’s history. Questions and concerns about his cognitive abilities and capabilities from the public are either dismissed or met defensively. The cabinet meeting incident provided visual evidence supporting doubts about Trump’s stamina. Multiple instances of apparent drowsiness across recent weeks suggest a pattern rather than an anomaly.
Trump’s defensive responses about his health suggest awareness of public skepticism. His early insistence on his sharpness contrasted starkly with his later apparent exhaustion. The timing of medical clearances and his explanations have failed to address the visual evidence. Americans’ growing concerns about his age and cognition reflect these legitimate observations.
The nickname ‘Commander in Sleep’ will likely persist in public discourse for some time. As long as questions about presidential fitness remain unresolved, scrutiny will continue. The cabinet meeting footage provided undeniable documentation of fatigue during critical government work. Whether additional incidents occur or Trump demonstrates renewed energy remains to be seen.
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