California Governor Gavin Newsom has seized on a moment of apparent drowsiness from President Donald Trump to launch a fresh round of political trolling, as questions about the president's health and energy levels persist.
Oval Office Event Turns Snoozy
The incident occurred on Thursday, 19 December 2025, during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office. President Trump was enacting an executive order to reschedule marijuana to a lower drug classification, a move aimed at facilitating more research and potentially expanding medical uses. Recreational use remains banned federally.
"We have people begging for me to do this. People who are in great pain," Trump told attendees, who included medical professionals in white coats. However, while seated at the Resolute Desk, the president's eyes were seen drooping, and he appeared to drift off, providing Newsom's team with immediate ammunition.
‘Nap Time for the Big Guy’
Newsom's press team swiftly took to social media platform X to mock the episode. "NAP TIME FOR THE BIG GUY," they posted that afternoon. The jab was quickly followed by another: "SEND IN THE ADULTS!!! GRANDPA IS TIRED."
Referencing the medical personnel present, the team quipped, "Is Trump finally getting the medical attention he needs?" This online skirmish is part of a months-long campaign by Newsom to criticise and ridicule Trump's policy agenda.
Democratic commentator Harry Sisson also weighed in, writing, "Trump falling asleep in the Oval Office again... It’s so obvious to everyone that this guy is not well. 25th Amendment now," invoking the constitutional process for presidential succession.
A Pattern of Fatigue?
This was not an isolated event. Earlier in December, Trump appeared to doze off during a Cabinet meeting open to the press. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended him at the time, insisting the president was "listening attentively."
Following that incident, Newsom shared an edited image mocking a "Presidential Walk of Fatigue," a play on the White House's Presidential Walk of Fame, featuring pictures of Trump with his eyes closed.
Concerns about the 79-year-old president's vitality have been mounting. The New York Times reported that Trump's "vigor" has "declined in recent months," noting his official appearances have decreased by nearly 40% and are starting later in the day during his second term.
Further fuelling speculation, Trump has been seen in public with bruising on his hands, which the White House attributes to constant handshaking and aspirin use. A scheduled press event on Thursday evening for the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act was cancelled 30 minutes after its slated start time, with no public signing occurring.
The president has vehemently pushed back against health concerns. He has accused the NYT of "seditious, perhaps even treasonous" behaviour in its reporting and stated, "I work very hard, probably harder than I have ever worked before." Trump has also claimed he received "PERFECT Marks" on recent medical examinations, including an October MRI scan of his cardiovascular system and abdomen.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment on the latest incident.
