Trump appears to doze off during event, White House: Anyone who says he was sleeping is lying (VIDEO)

The internet has been swept up in reactions after U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to be dozing during a public event in the Oval Office.

The moment was recorded on Monday, during an event at which Trump announced plans to build a new steel plant in Iowa, a $15 billion investment. The project is expected to start production in 2030 and create 1,750 permanent jobs.

As other officials took the floor, Trump appeared with his head tilted to the right, his eyes closed and his head lowered, creating the impression that he was asleep. The footage spread rapidly on social media and drew numerous reactions.

It is not the first time Trump has appeared in a similar position during a public event. Critics have claimed the president was dozing, while Trump and the White House have previously denied those claims. The son of former President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, posted a still of the moment on his X account, accompanied by the question: “Who is ‘sleepy’?”

California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, also reacted ironically. “President McConnell is looking great,” Newsom’s “press office” account wrote on X, referring to Senator Mitch McConnell, who has recently appeared frail and disoriented following a recovery period from a fall.

Journalist Molly Jong-Fast humorously defended Trump, noting that the president appeared to have fallen asleep while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was speaking. “In Trump’s defense, Howard is very, very boring,” she wrote.

The White House: Anyone who claims Trump was sleeping is lying

White House spokesman Davis Ingle reacted on Tuesday, rejecting the claims that the president had slept during the event.

“President Trump’s sharp mind, unmatched energy and historic accessibility stand in complete contrast to what we saw during the previous administration, when Democrats and the mainstream media deliberately hid from the American people Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline,” Ingle said.

He described Trump as “the smartest and most accessible president in American history”, saying he “is working tirelessly to solve problems and fulfil his promises, while remaining in excellent health”.

“Anyone who claims the President was sleeping is lying,” the spokesman added.

Trump’s staff have previously offered explanations for moments when the president appears with his eyes closed. According to them, he may be “blinking” or listening attentively.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that Trump “is not asleep” when he appears with his head down and eyes closed, insisting that “he is fine”.

Trump himself has previously denied accusations that he falls asleep during public events. In an interview published by the Wall Street Journal on January 1 this year, he said: “I just close my eyes. It is very relaxing. Sometimes they photograph me blinking and they catch me blinking.”

In trumps defense howard is very very boring https://t.co/1Ym1Ln1tQG

President McConnell is looking great https://t.co/KbkLPwUt2D

Trump appears to be completely passed out asleep during his 2pm Oval Office announcement pic.twitter.com/Mvp11umdb8

Sleepy who? pic.twitter.com/cgWiYsAFPx