US President Donald Trump has provoked fury on social media after footage from a service marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 atrocities appeared to capture him dozing off. He was attending a ceremony at the Pentagon honouring those who perished when al Qaida terrorists commandeered aircraft and murdered nearly 3,000 individuals across three sites.
Ceremony choice draws criticism
Trump had opted to attend this gathering instead of joining all previous living presidents at the memorial situated at the former World Trade Center location in New York. Observers spotted the 80-year-old seemingly drifting off in his chair during the proceedings, which were extensively televised on news networks.
Pictures and clips from the event depict first lady Melania Trump appearing stern-faced while her husband dozed. At one moment, his head tilted backwards and his mouth hung open.
Social media backlash
Incensed viewers flocked to social media to condemn him for showing disrespect to the attack's victims. Writing on X, one user posted: "Joe Biden, 83 years-old, battling Stage 4 cancer that's spread to his bones, stood for hours alongside Dr. Jill Biden, as the names of the 9/11 victims were read. Donald Trump fell asleep at the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. One showed respect while Trump was an embarrassment."
Another commented: "Trump disrespected 2,977 people murdered on 9/11 by not attending the NY memorial service...Then he falls asleep at the Pentagon service. He doesn't care about anyone but himself." A third observer commented: "Trump fell asleep at the Pentagon during the ceremony for 9/11. He has fallen asleep during a cage fight, a basketball game, July 4th fireworks, and multiple times in the Oval Office with people talking directly to him. There is something seriously wrong with him."
Mounting criticism
A fourth expressed outrage: "Trump sleeping at this 9-11 memorial is SO OFFENSIVE TO ALL AMERICANS! ! !" A fifth vented their anger: "It's disgusting that trump not only refused to attend the 9/11 memorial in NYC...but he was so disinterested at the Pentagon ceremony that he fell asleep. Meanwhile a sixth raged: "You're a disgrace Trump falling to sleep at pentagon ceremony. "".
The US president has faced mounting criticism since returning to the White House amid a string of public blunders and visible signs of bruising and swelling. The Republican leader has reportedly nodded off in public on numerous occasions throughout the past year, with many incidents occurring during official duties.
Among the significant events where he has allegedly been caught dozing are the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit, the Antifa roundtable, an obesity-drug press conference, the signing of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, and Pope Francis' funeral.
