A new viral moment has ignited fresh controversy around Donald Trump, after footage appeared to show the president drifting off during an official cabinet meeting — and the internet wasted no time reacting.
The incident occurred during a formal White House meeting earlier this month, where senior members of the administration were addressing policy matters. While the session began routinely, viewers quickly fixated on Trump’s body language as the meeting progressed. As speakers took turns at the table, cameras caught him sitting still, eyes gradually closing, appearing to struggle to remain alert.
Clips circulating online show that during remarks by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the president seemed to lose focus, blinking slowly and lowering his head. As the meeting continued, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke, Trump appeared to have his eyes shut for noticeably longer stretches.
Once the footage spread across social media platforms, attention quickly shifted away from the substance of the meeting itself. Instead, users zoomed in on the president’s apparent fatigue, turning the moment into a meme-filled firestorm across Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Critics were especially quick to point out the irony. Trump has repeatedly mocked President Joe Biden over age and stamina, famously branding him “Sleepy Joe.” Now, commenters were flipping the script — and the nickname — right back at him.
“Dozing Don has entered the chat,” one user wrote, while another commented bluntly, “This is what happens when you’re nearly 80 and still running the country.”
Others were far less playful. “Someone this old shouldn’t be making decisions that affect millions,” one commenter argued. “This isn’t funny — it’s concerning.”
Calls questioning Trump’s fitness for office quickly followed, with some users suggesting the moment symbolized a larger issue rather than an isolated lapse. “Not alert, not focused, not fit,” read one widely shared comment.
Whether Trump was genuinely asleep or simply resting his eyes, the optics proved damaging. In the age of viral clips and instant commentary, a few seconds of video were enough to dominate headlines — and reopen the debate over age, endurance, and leadership at the highest level of power.
Once again, a White House moment meant to project authority instead fueled online ridicule — and reignited questions Trump has long used against others.
