During a recent event titled “Making Health Technology Great Again,” President Donald Trump appeared to struggle with alertness while listening to several speakers, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS administrator Mehmet Oz. After speaking for about ten minutes, Trump sat down and was seen with his eyes closed while Oz discussed the frustrations of Americans regarding healthcare wait times and high hospital bills.
Oz highlighted the collective fatigue of Americans, stating, “They’re tired of waiting for doctors’ appointments. They’re tired of waiting for the surprise of what your hospital bill is going to offer,” as Trump seemed to battle drowsiness.
This incident followed a weekend in Scotland where Trump engaged with European leaders and played golf at his resort. It is not the first occurrence of him appearing to doze off in public; a similar situation arose last year when he seemed to close his eyes during testimony in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial, prompting his attorney to clarify that the president was simply “concentrating.”
Social media responses to this latest episode of Trump dozing off included pointed remarks, especially given his previous mockery of President Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe.”
While the optics of this event might have raised eyebrows, it underscores the high demands placed on political leaders and the intense schedules they maintain. It reminds us that even in the realm of leadership, moments of fatigue are human and can serve as a reminder of the importance of rest.