Trump sparks criticism and mockery after appearing to sleep through part of Oval Office health briefing

Donald Trump hosted an Oval Office event at the White House on November 6 that was meant to showcase a major announcement on lowering drug prices, but a very sleepy-looking president quickly eclipsed the message, as photos spread online showing him slumped in his chair and seemingly asleep while others spoke.

As his administration rolled out a string of health announcements, including a major deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower the price of some GLP-1 weight-loss medications, Trump appeared to drift off while others spoke, notably during Dr. Oz's remarks.

The images sparked a wave of online mockery, with California governor Gavin Newsom even dubbing him «Dozy Don» again and posting photo montages of Trump asleep, while many others sharply questioned his fitness to govern if he now seems to be constantly nodding off.

Growing questions over Trump's health

The episode has sharpened existing health concerns around Trump, coming after months of scrutiny over his age and medical record. Earlier this year, the White House disclosed that the 79-year-old president has chronic venous insufficiency but insisted he remains in «excellent» overall health.

More recently, Trump revealed he underwent an MRI at Walter Reed in October and described the results as «perfect», yet neither he nor the White House has explained why the scan was ordered or what exactly it showed, prompting former White House doctors and outside specialists to call for more transparency about his condition.

A wave of commentary

During the televised event, photos and short video clips showed Trump with his eyes closed and slumped in his chair for an extended stretch, which many viewers interpreted as him dozing off while officials and pharmaceutical executives continued speaking.

In recent months, Trump has also been filmed at other events where he appeared to nod off, including the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh, where cameras showed him tipping forward with his eyes closed for several seconds, and a 2024 Latino outreach event in Miami, where footage circulated online claiming he had briefly fallen asleep.

According to reports, Trump appeared to be asleep for around 20 minutes, an incident that has fuelled a wave of commentary and headlines asking who is actually running the White House.

The same event

Other viral photos and video from the same event show Trump standing rigidly behind his desk while staff tend to a collapsed guest on the floor, lifting his legs.

Many viewers saw the scene as a metaphor for his presidency: a distant, passive leader watching crises unfold rather than actively helping.

The White House has focused its public comments on the medical emergency that later interrupted the event, saying the guest who fainted was treated by the White House Medical Unit and is okay, but has not directly addressed whether Trump was asleep.