Donald Trump is fighting back after a viral clip appeared to show him slumped motionless in his chair during a meeting at his Florida residence — prompting a frenzy of speculation online that the former president may have fallen asleep or even briefly lost consciousness. Trump, 78, addressed the growing controversy on Truth Social late Thursday, insisting that he was not asleep, but “thinking deeply.”
“Fake news says I was ‘asleep’ — WRONG!” he wrote. “I was listening with my eyes closed. I’m not a sleeper, never have been. I was thinking about America — something Joe Biden could never do.”
The short video, first posted by political commentator @Acyn, has already been viewed more than 35 million times across platforms. The footage shows Trump sitting at the head of a long conference table surrounded by campaign aides. For nearly half a minute, he remains still — eyes closed, head tilted forward — before jerking awake as someone next to him begins speaking.
“He was out cold,” one viewer wrote under the viral X post. “That’s not deep thought — that’s nap time.”
“Trump denies ‘falling asleep’ mid-meeting, says he was ‘thinking deeply.’ Internet isn’t buying it.” @CNNPolitics
Trump’s team, however, quickly pushed back against what they called “manufactured drama.” In a statement to Axios, campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “President Trump was listening intently during a detailed policy discussion. The radical left media is desperate to make him look weak because he’s dominating in the polls.”
Still, the images have taken on a life of their own. Memes mocking the clip have flooded social media, with hashtags like #TrumpNap and #SleepyDon trending worldwide. Many users drew parallels to Trump’s own frequent jabs at President Biden, whom he’s repeatedly mocked for appearing drowsy during events. “The irony writes itself,” one user posted. “He called Biden ‘Sleepy Joe’ — now it’s ‘Dozing Don.’”
Even some conservative commentators appeared unsettled by the footage. “If that clip is real, someone close to him needs to talk to him about optics,” former Trump ally Bill Mitchell tweeted. “People look at that and say, ‘What are we doing?’”
“‘Sleepy Don’ is trending after Trump appears to nod off mid-meeting. Campaign calls it ‘fake.’” @MSNBC
Medical experts have urged caution before jumping to conclusions. “You can’t diagnose anyone from a video,” said neurologist Dr. Robert Fielding. “A brief lapse in motion could be fatigue, distraction, or even a moment of reflection. But it’s understandable that the public reads it differently — it looks strange.”
Trump’s health has long been a topic of fascination and concern. Following his hospitalization with COVID-19 in 2020, and a handful of public appearances where he seemed unsteady, critics have repeatedly questioned whether his physical stamina matches his campaign rhetoric. Last month, he was caught on camera confusing two NATO allies during a rally speech — an incident that quickly went viral.
“He’s visibly aging, and it’s getting harder to hide,” wrote political analyst Amanda Marcotte. “This isn’t about naps — it’s about capability.”
“Trump’s denial isn’t calming doubts. People are seeing what they’re seeing.” @guardian
But Trump’s supporters say the video is being blown out of proportion by mainstream outlets desperate for scandal. On Truth Social, his loyalists flooded comment sections with defenses, many accusing Democrats of hypocrisy. “When Biden closes his eyes, it’s meditation,” one wrote. “When Trump does it, it’s a health crisis.”
Behind the scenes, campaign insiders admit the optics aren’t great. One adviser told Politico that staffers had privately urged Trump to scale back his packed schedule. “He’s been running nonstop — rallies, fundraisers, travel, late-night meetings,” the aide said. “He’s human. But he doesn’t like to look vulnerable.”
That may explain why Trump responded so forcefully. In a fiery second post Thursday night, he doubled down: “I don’t nap. I don’t stop. I work harder than anyone — maybe that’s why they can’t keep up. They’re exhausted, not me.”
Online reactions poured in instantly. Some mocked the defensive tone, while others saw it as classic Trump bravado. “He could literally be in a coma and still tweet ‘Fake News!’” joked one viral Occupy Democrats post.
Meanwhile, several comedians have already turned the incident into late-night fodder. “Trump says he wasn’t asleep — he was just closing his eyes to visualize tariffs,” joked Stephen Colbert. “That’s what I tell my wife during church.”
Even with Trump’s forceful denial, the clip continues to spread — viewed, shared, and dissected frame by frame. For many, it has become less about the footage itself and more about symbolism: an aging political figure fighting to maintain dominance while the world watches for cracks in the façade.
“Trump’s ‘I’m not a sleeper’ line is trending — maybe his most bizarre self-defense yet.” @Reuters
In the final moments of the video, Trump appears to suddenly jolt upright and start talking again, prompting nervous laughter from those in the room. One staffer, according to CNN, could be seen exchanging a worried glance with another aide. “It was awkward,” they said. “No one wanted to say anything.”
For now, Trump insists the whole thing is another media smear campaign. But as the clip continues to circulate — and as rivals quietly question his health behind closed doors — the former president’s defiance may only deepen the fascination surrounding what really happened in that Florida meeting.
“I wasn’t sleeping,” Trump repeated to reporters outside Mar-a-Lago Friday morning. “I was thinking. I’m always thinking. That’s what leaders do.”
