Concerns about Donald Trump's health have been reignited by reports that he has fallen asleep in public 14 times in a year. The US leader, who turned 80 last month, has come under increased scrutiny since his return to the White House following a series of public gaffes and apparent bruising and swelling.
President Spotted Drifting Off at Multiple Events
Mr Trump has been spotted falling asleep in public during a number of public engagements, with commentators suggesting it is happening "once or twice a month". X user Jamesetta Williams recapped 14 events since July 2025 at which the president had been spotted drifting off, dubbing the pattern a "major age related crisis".
The occasions included a 'Making Health Technology Great Again' at the White House last summer, a Cabinet meeting in December, the inaugural Boars of Peace meeting in February and, most recently, former US senator Lindsey Graham's funeral this week. Footage shared on social media of the funeral showed Mr Trump slowly blinking and closing his eyes before appearing to fall asleep.
Biography Claims Fatigue and Hearing Loss
Speculation about his health has also been driven by the release of a new biography by two former White House correspondents last month. Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan claimed the president is nocturnal, unpredictable and has shown increasing "moments of fatigue" in Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump. The book, based on over a thousand interviews conducted over a two-year period, also claimed that Mr Trump's hearing has deteriorated during his second term and that he has lost "whatever thin verbal filter he had in the past".
White House Defends Trump's Health
Despite this, the White House maintains that the president remains in "perfect" health. White House physician Sean Barbarella said Mr Trump's most recent medical exams show he is "fully fit" with "strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function". Responding to the health commentary, a spokesperson for the administration said: "President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people. President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible president in American history who is working non-stop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."
