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'NodFather': Trump did not fall while entering limo but he sure fell asleep at WHCD

A viral video showing Trump falling into a limo is fake and AI-generated, but he really was caught dozing off at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Published on: Jul 26, 2026, 03:16:56 IST
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A viral clip claiming to show US President Donald Trump falling while trying to get into a limousine is not true. The video showed signs of AI generation and no credible media outlet reported any such incident.

Trump's viral "limo fall" video turned out to be AI-generated. (Reuters)
Trump's viral "limo fall" video turned out to be AI-generated. (Reuters)

While the limo video was fake, Trump was seen repeatedly closing his eyes for extended periods during Washington's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Trump appears to doze off during White House Correspondents' Dinner

Three months after the original April dinner was interrupted by a gunman who opened fire minutes after the event began, a smaller version of the White House Correspondents' Dinner was held on Friday night.

But despite insisting “the show must go on,” the 80-year-old president was seen repeatedly closing his eyes for extended periods as speeches unfolded inside the Waldorf Astoria ballroom, as per The Daily Beast.

The evening kicked off with Trump forced to sit through a video roasting him about press freedom and America being a country of “no kings.” Things got even more awkward when the Wall Street Journal was celebrated for reporting on a lewd letter Trump allegedly sent to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Videos of Trump appearing to doze off at the dinner went viral on X, with users reacting strongly.

One user wrote, “The old p-do is trying hard not to fall asleep at the WHCD.”

Another commented, “You have to take cat naps when you are working 24 hours a day.”

A user wrote, “That man sleeps 4hrs a day. White House Correspondents dinner is NOT important. He makes you look old.”

Another joked, “NodFather- His days are numbered according to his deeds.”

One wrote, “That has to be some medication that he's taking. There's no way a normal person would fall asleep at all the places he does.”

Also Read: Did Trump fall while entering limo? Viral video sparks questions

Fact check: Viral Trump limo fall video was AI-generated

A viral clip claiming to show US President Donald Trump falling while trying to get into a limousine was AI generated. Among the most viral versions of the claim were posts from self-described humor accounts.

Also Read: Where are Melania Trump, JD Vance and Marco Rubio? Why they are skipping today's White House Correspondents' Dinner

The video implied that Trump fell or lost his balance while getting into a presidential limousine, but Lead Stories did not find any evidence that this actually happened.

Sightengine, an AI detection tool, concluded that the clip was 78% likely to be a product of generative AI. When Lead Stories tested the thumbnail from the clip with another tool, ZeroGPT, it ruled the image “95% FAKE," as per Lead Stories.

Friday's dinner had only 700 guests, compared to 2,500 in April, with heavy security, fencing and barricades across downtown DC. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were all absent from the event.

  • Khushi Arora
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Khushi Arora

    Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More