Images of U.S. President Donald Trump appearing to close his eyes during an Oval Office event have gone viral, fueling an online storm and renewed scrutiny of his health and stamina. The incident took place Thursday during an announcement on lowering prices for popular weight-loss medications, where Trump, seated behind the Resolute Desk, was seen at moments rubbing his eyes and appearing to struggle to keep them open.
Critics swiftly pounced on the footage, with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office mocking him on social media under the caption, “DOZY DON IS BACK.” The images quickly spread across X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and TikTok, drawing millions of views within hours.
The White House, however, dismissed the speculation, saying the president was fully alert. “The President was not sleeping; he spoke throughout and took multiple questions from the press,” said spokesperson Taylor Rogers, calling the controversy a distraction from what she described as “a historic reduction in drug prices” that will save lives and money for Americans.
At 79, Trump remains the oldest person ever to hold the presidency. While aides routinely praise his “extraordinary stamina,” questions about his health have persisted. Last month, Trump revealed he had undergone an MRI during a routine physical at Walter Reed Medical Center but did not specify the reason. Earlier in the summer, doctors diagnosed him with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition affecting blood circulation in the legs.
Despite such reports, the White House insists Trump maintains a demanding schedule, noting that he had just returned from a three-nation trip to Asia and delivered an hour-long speech in Miami the day before the Oval Office event.
Observers noted that moments of fatigue are not unusual for presidents under immense pressure. Even Barack Obama, decades younger during his tenure, was occasionally caught on camera rubbing his eyes during late-night summits.
Still, the irony was not lost on many online users: Trump, who built part of his political brand on deriding Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” now finds himself the target of the same label—one photo at a time.