California Governor Gavin Newsom has bestowed a new, sleep-themed nickname upon President Donald Trump, dubbing him "The Nodfather" after photographs captured the leader apparently napping during an official White House event.
The Snooze That Sparked a Nickname
The incident occurred on Friday, during a televised announcement at the White House concerning lower prices for weight loss drugs for Medicare and Medicaid recipients. As administration officials, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, spoke, the 79-year-old president was photographed with his eyes closed and slouched in his chair.
In a moment of unintentional irony, Dr. Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, stated, "People can sleep again, because they can breathe when they go to bed," while the president battled to stay awake.
The White House Response and a Pattern of Behaviour
The White House was quick to deny that the president had been sleeping. A spokesperson insisted to the Washington Post that the President was not sleeping and had, in fact, spoken throughout the event and taken questions from the press.
This is not the first time President Trump has been accused of dozing off in public. He has previously appeared to fall asleep during an energy and innovation event in July, while attending the U.S. Open in September, and on multiple occasions during his criminal "hush money" trial last year.
Newsom's "The Nodfather" jab is a direct retaliation for Trump's long-standing nickname for his predecessor, "Sleepy Joe" Biden. Earlier in the week, the California Democrat had also resurrected the moniker "Dozy Don."
Contrasting Narratives on Presidential Energy
The event has sparked commentary on the differing standards applied to politicians. Neera Tanden, a former Biden administration official, noted on X that the national media would have had "multiple strokes" if Joe Biden had been seen in a similar state.
This narrative of a drowsy president stands in stark contrast to the picture painted by some of his own administration officials. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in September, "None of us can keep up with him... I don't know when he sleeps. He's working all the time."
Adding to this, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recalled the president's relentless work ethic, mentioning late-night phone calls from Trump about drug-pricing deals, which he said even caused anxiety for Dr. Oz.
