Does Trump Sleep During Meetings? Rubio Says ‘Never Seen Him Doze Off’, Congress Calls Him ‘Liar’
Does Trump Sleep During Meetings? Rubio Says ‘Never Seen Him Doze Off’, Congress Calls Him ‘Liar’ Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 07:28 IST
Does Trump Sleep During Meetings? Rubio Says ‘Never Seen Him Doze Off’, Congress Calls Him ‘Liar’ Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 07:28 IST Marco Rubio and Ted Lieu clash in Congress over claims Donald Trump sleeps in meetings, as Lieu questions his fitness and the White House defends his health and stamina United States President Donald Trump was caught with his eyes closed during cabinet meeting in December. (Source: Reuters) Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Democratic Representative Ted Lieu of California engaged in a heated exchange before a congressional committee on June 3 over whether United States President Donald Trump sleeps during important meetings. During the tense hearing, Lieu alleged that Trump has been seen dozing off during key meetings and played several video clips of the president during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting to support his claim. “You will see that he is sleeping while you are talking," Lieu told Rubio before showing a clip from a December Cabinet meeting in which Trump appeared to be sitting with his eyes closed. Defending the president, Rubio said Trump’s problem is that he “never sleeps." Also Read: ‘Fully Fit To Serve’: White House Doctor Says Trump Is In Excellent Health But Needs To Lose Weight “That’s false. I’ve never seen him fall asleep. On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep. Which is a big problem, because he calls me at 2 in the morning," Rubio said. “He calls me at 5 in the morning.
And, you know, I like to sleep a little bit, maybe not 12 hours, but at least 6. So he works. The other day, he was at the Oval Office at 12.30 p.m. 12.30 a.m. I don’t know what you’re talking about," the Secretary of State added. As the exchange continued, Lieu played another clip in which Rubio was speaking while Trump appeared to have his eyes closed. The congressman claimed the video was from a Cabinet meeting held last month. However, it was from the same December Cabinet meeting. “You are literally talking about issues of war and peace, and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you," Lieu said. Responding to the allegations, Rubio said he has never attended a meeting where Trump fell asleep and described the line of questioning as “outrageous." However, Lieu argued that the questions were raised due to concerns about Trump’s fitness for office. “Donald Trump’s inability to stay awake on the job shows that there’s something very wrong with his health and cognitive abilities," Lieu said. “I’ve never been at any meeting, and the things you’re showing me now, he was not falling asleep," Rubio claimed. Defending Trump’s stamina, Rubio said, “It’s absurd and ridiculous. (Trump) is a guy who literally doesn’t sleep. He works day and night, long hours every single day. I don’t know if you haven’t seen him in eight days. I saw him yesterday. I didn’t see him today, but yesterday, because I was in Congress.
The day before, I talked to him at all hours of the day and night. He works inhumane hours, okay? I’ve been on foreign trips with the president where he doesn’t sleep the whole flight and everyone else is sleeping on the plane. He’s wandering in the hallways looking for someone to wake up and talk to." In response to Rubio’s repeated denials that Trump had fallen asleep during meetings, Lieu said, “Just keep lying, just keep lying." Trump’s Health Comes Under Scrutiny As He Reaches 80 The debate over whether Trump has fallen asleep during public events has resurfaced amid broader discussions about his health as he nears his 80th birthday later this month. Also Read: ‘Malignant Form Of…’: Why Health Expert Thinks Trump’s Weight Gain Should Not Be Taken Lightly While the president has repeatedly denied dozing off in public, recent attention has also focused on visible bruising on his hands, swelling in his legs and a rash on his neck. According to the White House, the swelling is linked to chronic venous insufficiency, a common and generally non-serious condition among older adults. Trump’s physician has also attributed the bruising on his hands to his use of aspirin, a blood-thinning medication, combined with frequent handshakes. Last month, Trump underwent a medical examination at Walter Reed Military Medical Centre, marking his fourth health assessment in just over a year. The evaluation found that he is nearing the threshold for clinical obesity, prompting recommendations for increased exercise and weight loss.
Despite those findings, the report described that the president’s “cognitive and physical performance is excellent." “He is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State," wrote Capt. Sean Barbabella, the White House physician. Trump previously addressed speculation about his appearance during the December Cabinet meeting, saying he had merely closed his eyes after sitting through a lengthy discussion. “I didn’t sleep, I just closed them," Trump said at the next meeting of Cabinet officials, adding: “I don’t sleep much." Reflecting on the December session, Trump said the meeting had dragged on for hours, was “boring," and that he “wanted to get the hell out of here." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Prisha Vibhavari Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st... Read More Location: Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: June 04, 2026, 07:26 IST News world Does Trump Sleep During Meetings? Rubio Says ‘Never Seen Him Doze Off’, Congress Calls Him ‘Liar’ Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments
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