Joe Biden falls ‘asleep’ during Memorial Day service, sparks outrage online

Furious netizens flooded social media with heated responses, calling Biden “Sleepy Joe”

Joe Biden has ignited a heated debate online after he was caught sleeping during the Memorial Day service at Arlington Cemetary. The video that has been making rounds on social media shows the US President with his eyes closed during an address by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Biden sparks outrage after falling asleep during Memorial Day service

U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Commanding Army General Major General Trevor J. Bredenkamp, attend a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery, in Washington, U.S., May 27, 2024. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno (REUTERS)

The POTUS marked the federal holiday that is observed in honour of fallen soldiers with a sombre speech on Monday. “Freedom has never been guaranteed – every generation has to earn it, fight for it, defend it in battle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of a few and the rights of many. It matters, our democracy is more than just a system of government. It’s the very soul of America,” he said.

However, it was during Austin's address that Biden seemingly fell asleep as the viral video shows him keeping his eyes closed over a prolonged period of time. He appeared to move at times and even placed his hand on his forehead. Internet personality Graham Allen shared the clip on X, formerly Twitter, with the caption, “Joe Biden was literally sleeping during a MEMORIAL DAY ceremony. DISGUSTING.”

Yet another user said, “And that’s the way he’s running the country! Sleeping while the radicals are putting their policies in place.” As several users called Biden “Sleepy Joe,” many went on to draw parallels between Biden and Donald Trump, who also sparked outrage after allegedly falling asleep during his fraud trial.