A new wave of debate has erupted on social media over whether US President Donald Trump fell asleep during an Oval Office event on maternal healthcare held on May 11, 2026. And the White House was very quick to deny it.
What happened and what White House said?
During the event, Trump, 79, appeared to have his eyes closed while attendees standing behind his chair were speaking. A photo taken by Reuters journalist Idrees Ali, captioned as Trump attending a maternal health event at the White House and it went viral and had been viewed over one million times as of reporting, according to Newsweek.
The official White House Rapid Response account responded directly to that post on X, writing: “He was blinking, you absolute moron.”
Additionally, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung weighed in sharply, saying: “Ted Lewd is a loser of the highest order and he needs to get serious professional help for his debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” as per Daily Beast.
Trump has also previously told The Wall Street Journal as cited by Newsweek that sometimes he closes his eyes because it’s “very relaxing to me,” and added that his health is “perfect.”
Netizens reacts to WH’s statement
The White House’s response received several reactions on social media.
As one post said on X, “Doctors and health organizations generally recommend that healthy adults get 7 to 9 hours of blinking per night”
“Agree. Trump is amazing! And he only needs 2 hours of sleep – as long as he gets in his 8 hours of blinking everyday,” wrote another user.
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Democrats’ reactions
Democratic Representative Ted Lieu jumped on the Rapid Response post, sharing a video of Trump with his eyes closed and writing: “Dear @RapidResponse47: That is a verrrrrrrrryyyyy long blink.”
While the official Democrats account posted on X saying, “Big day for the Commander-in-Sleep.”
That video showed the president’s eyes closed for 17 continuous seconds, according to the Daily Beast.
‘Sleepy Trump’: Why this keep happening?
Trump took office at the age of 78 which makes him the oldest person to be at the US presidency. He turned 79 during his second term and will turn 80 in June. Throughout his time in office, questions about his age and health have repeatedly surfaced, whether triggered by photos of him with his eyes closed or images showing visible bruises or blemishes.
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And similar questions had also followed his predecessor. Former President Joe Biden left office at 82 and concerns about his fitness had dogged both his presidency and his 2024 re-election campaign, according to Newsweek.
According to the Daily Beast, this is not the first time such moments have happened. Similar incidents were noticed several times in January, February, March and April.
Additionally, Trump’s sleep cycle has come under broader scrutiny, particularly during the period of the Iran war. A data-driven analysis of his Truth Social activity by The Daily Beast found a surge of posts in the early morning hours, suggesting irregular and short sleep patterns that may be causing daytime fatigue. Experts have warned that this kind of sleep deprivation can impair judgment.
Despite these concerns, the White House has maintained that the President is in excellent health and fit to carry out his duties.
