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In a lengthy Cabinet meeting at the White House on December 2, 2025, President Donald Trump appeared to struggle with drowsiness, according to multiple video clips that captured the president closing his eyes and nodding off during presentations by various Cabinet members.
The meeting, which lasted over two hours in its recorded portion, showed Trump exhibiting clear signs of fatigue while his Cabinet secretaries delivered reports. In one widely shared video clip, Trump can be seen repeatedly closing his eyes while seated next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the latter addressed him directly. The moment quickly circulated on social media platforms, with users describing it as “insane optics.”
The New York Times documented another instance during Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ remarks, showing Trump’s eyes slowly closing and opening repeatedly while he occasionally nodded in acknowledgment. The Times reported that the president “appeared to be fighting sleep” and was “seeming to nod off” during her presentation.
A particularly telling moment occurred during Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s comments about “Main Street,” when Trump’s head visibly dropped forward in the characteristic motion of someone beginning to doze off. This sequence was captured in high-definition by CNBC’s cameras approximately 75 minutes into the meeting.
Additional footage from the same session showed the president yawning twice and, at another point, his head dropping before suddenly jerking back upright – a common reaction when someone is fighting sleep. Despite these moments, Trump remained sufficiently alert to call on Cabinet members throughout the meeting and acknowledge their statements.
When contacted for comment, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided a statement that did not directly address whether the president had dozed off. “President Trump was listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting,” Leavitt said, though the recorded portion lasted only about 2 hours and 18 minutes.
She continued by highlighting Trump’s “amazing final answer” during the press conference and characterized the meeting as the “ninth Cabinet meeting of his second term—all of which have been entirely open to the press for the whole world to see.”
The CNBC video of the complete meeting shows Trump opening with a 32-minute address before signs of drowsiness became apparent midway through. Photographers captured numerous still images showing the president with his eyes partially or fully closed at various moments.
The incident stands in contrast to previous social media claims about Trump allegedly falling asleep during other events, including Pope Francis’ funeral service and the 2024 Republican National Convention, which fact-checkers determined were false or unsubstantiated.
Trump’s Cabinet meeting on December 2 represented a rare instance where multiple video sources from established news organizations clearly documented moments of the president appearing to doze off during official proceedings. The meeting continued despite these moments, with Trump rallying enough to deliver concluding remarks before ending the session.
The White House did not provide any explanation for the president’s apparent drowsiness during this extended Cabinet meeting, which Leavitt described as showcasing the administration’s “exhaustive list of accomplishments” delivered to “Make America Great Again.”
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12 Comments
Presidents are human too and can experience fatigue, but this does seem like a concerning display of inattention during an important Cabinet meeting. Hopefully it was just a momentary lapse and not indicative of broader health issues. The public deserves a president who is fully engaged.
Interesting to see the president struggling to stay awake during a lengthy Cabinet meeting. It raises questions about his energy levels and focus on the job. Hopefully it was just a momentary lapse and not indicative of broader health or stamina concerns.
Agreed, the optics don’t look great. But we should avoid jumping to conclusions – the president is human after all and it was a long meeting. Hopefully he was just feeling a bit fatigued.
While it’s understandable for anyone to feel drowsy during a long meeting, it’s concerning to see the president potentially nodding off. Effective leadership requires sustained focus, so this raises valid questions about his ability to lead. Hopefully it was just an isolated incident.
You make a fair point. As president, Trump needs to maintain his energy and concentration, especially in high-stakes meetings. This lapse in attention is troubling, though I’m curious to hear his side of the story before jumping to conclusions.
Falling asleep during a Cabinet meeting is not a good look for the president. It suggests a lack of energy, focus or engagement on critical issues. While we all get tired sometimes, the leader of the country needs to project an image of strength and vigilance. Hopefully this was just a momentary lapse and not a sign of deeper problems.
Agreed, the president needs to be on top of his game, especially in high-level meetings. This incident raises valid concerns about his stamina and commitment to the job. I hope it was just a brief moment of fatigue and not indicative of a larger issue.
This is certainly an interesting and concerning development. The president should be alert and engaged during important policy discussions, not appearing to doze off. While we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, this does raise legitimate questions about his energy levels and ability to fulfill his duties. Transparency would be appreciated.
While presidents are human and can experience fatigue, this incident is troubling. The leader of the free world needs to project energy, focus and engagement, especially during important policy discussions. Hopefully this was just a momentary lapse and not a sign of deeper health or stamina problems.
While it’s understandable for anyone to occasionally nod off, for the president to do so during a Cabinet meeting raises red flags. The leader of the free world needs to project strength, focus and unwavering commitment to the job. Hopefully this was an isolated incident and not a sign of deeper problems.
It’s concerning to see the president apparently struggling to stay awake during a Cabinet meeting. As the country’s leader, he needs to be alert and engaged, not nodding off. While we should avoid jumping to conclusions, this does raise valid questions about his energy levels and ability to fulfill his duties. Transparency would be appreciated.
You make a fair point. The president should project strength and focus, especially in high-stakes meetings. This incident is troubling and deserves scrutiny. Hopefully it was just a brief moment of fatigue and not indicative of a broader issue.