How often has Donald Trump been reported sleeping during official meetings?
Executive summary
Multiple recent reports document at least one widely circulated incident in November 2025 in which President Donald Trump appeared to close his eyes or slump in the Oval Office for an extended period — The Washington Post’s video analysis concluded he “spent nearly 20 minutes battling to keep his eyes open” during a White House event announcing weight‑loss drug price changes [1]. Numerous other outlets — Hindustan Times, The Independent, Times Now, Economic Times and others — reported the same episode as Trump appearing to doze or nod off during that Oval Office meeting [2] [3] [4] [5].
1. What the reporting actually documents: a specific, viral Oval Office episode
The strongest and most detailed public accounting comes from The Washington Post, whose analysis of multiple video feeds concluded the president “spent nearly 20 minutes battling to keep his eyes open” during the November Oval Office event about weight‑loss drug pricing [1]. That same meeting generated viral clips posted and discussed globally; outlets described Trump leaning back, blinking slowly, or appearing to “rest his eyes” while officials spoke and at one point a guest collapsed, cutting the event short [2] [3] [4].
2. How other outlets framed the same moment
Independent and international outlets echoed and amplified the viral footage: The Independent said Trump “appeared to doze” during the Oval Office meeting [3]; Hindustan Times and Times Now ran headlines noting viewers saw the president “asleep” or “resting his eyes,” and cited public reaction and health concerns [2] [4]. News aggregators and tabloids added color and political reaction, including mockery from opponents — for example, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s “Dozy Don” jibe reported by Economic Times — while sympathetic lines from allies or the White House pushing back are noted in other pieces [5] [6].
3. Disputed moments beyond the November event — limited verification
Reports and social posts have also circulated earlier and separate clips suggesting Trump closed his eyes at other public events — for example, videos from a meeting in Saudi Arabia were flagged online and scrutinized [7]. Newsweek’s fact check about the Saudi clips concluded the president’s eyes were closed only for a few seconds in that instance; available sources do not assert a definitive pattern of sleep across all meetings beyond the documented Oval Office incident [7]. Other outlets mention past photos or short clips of the president with eyes closed but stop short of concluding he fell asleep [8].
4. How newsrooms evaluated evidence and what “sleeping” means on camera
News organizations used video analysis and timing to make specific claims: The Washington Post quantified duration by cross‑checking multiple feeds to reach “nearly 20 minutes” spent battling sleep [1]. Other outlets relied on single clips and audience interpretation, producing a range of wording from “appeared to doze” to “fell asleep” or “slumped over,” reflecting different editorial thresholds for asserting a claim versus describing public reaction [3] [2] [8].
5. Political context and the competing narratives
Coverage is highly political: critics use the footage to raise health and fitness questions; allies and White House spokespeople have pushed back, accusing media of bias [6]. Some outlets contextualize the irony that Trump’s campaign historically used “Sleepy Joe” as an attack line, noting the political theater of the moment and rapid tribal interpretations on social media [8] [7].
6. What the sources do not establish — limits of current reporting
Available reporting establishes the November Oval Office incident and earlier short clips where the president’s eyes closed briefly, but sources do not provide a comprehensive count of every instance Trump has been reported sleeping during official meetings, nor do they present a verified timeline cataloguing multiple confirmed sleep episodes beyond those cited [1] [7]. Medical conclusions about cause, diagnosis, or long‑term pattern are not present in the cited articles; available sources do not mention medical confirmation that the president was actually asleep rather than briefly resting eyes or blinking [1] [2].
7. Takeaway for readers: verified episode, broader claims need more proof
Readers should treat the Washington Post’s quantified Oval Office analysis as the most concrete public accounting to date: an event where video review concluded nearly 20 minutes of battling sleep [1]. Other reports corroborate that this moment went viral and provoked political reaction [2] [3] [4]. Broader assertions that Trump has repeatedly fallen asleep across many official meetings are not proven by the sources provided; further, medical or official confirmations are not reported in the supplied articles [7] [6].