Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeatedly denied that President Donald Trump falls asleep during meetings and events, even as he was shown videos of the president appearing to doze off right next to him.
Rubio's Defense of Trump
“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio told Rep. Ted Lieu of California during congressional testimony, after the Democrat accused Trump of snoozing during official business. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem because he calls me at 2 in the morning.”
“He calls me at 5 in the morning,” Rubio added. “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 until 12.30 a.m. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Video Evidence Presented
Lieu then accused Rubio of lying to Congress, playing a clip of Trump during a May Cabinet meeting where he appeared slumped in his chair and asleep while sitting next to Rubio.
“You are literally talking about issues of war and peace, and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you,” Lieu said of the clip, as Rubio cut in and said, “No, he’s not.”
The California Democrat continued to press the issue, playing a clip from a news channel about online backlash to Trump appearing to sleep at a Memorial Day service. Lieu claimed these incidents made America look weak and suggested the president might be even worse in private and suffering from declining health.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
Rubio's Outrage
Rubio denied that the president had ever fallen asleep “at any meeting” and blasted the line of questioning.
“I think it’s outrageous that I am before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, [being asked] questions about sleep,” he said. “This is a joke.”
Other Heated Moments
The back and forth over sleep was not the only heated moment from the hearing. During his testimony, Rubio hinted at the administration’s campaign to potentially seize Greenland, referring to it as only officially part of Denmark “for now.”
The Florida Republican also hammered Democrats on the committee for what he called the “circus” the hearing had descended into, after he got questions over who won the 2020 election and the shoes Donald Trump gifted him.
Trump's Health Concerns
The president’s latest medical exam concluded he is in “excellent health,” despite ongoing public concerns about Trump’s cognitive functioning and physical ailments. Trump, who at age 78 was the oldest person to ever assume the presidency, often appears with bruising on his hands, a result of consistent aspirin usage; swollen legs, due to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency; and, most recently, a skin rash.
Health and cognitive fitness concerns regarding President Joe Biden helped bring down the Democrats’ 2024 reelection campaign.
