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Trump appears to fall asleep at Memorial Day event ahead of Walter Reed health checkup; watch
At a Memorial Day event, videos of Donald Trump with eyes closed sparked online claims he was sleeping during Pete Hegseth’s speech.
President Donald Trump highlighted the National Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday afternoon. Amid the somber gathering, where the POTUS was joined by Pete Hegseth and JD Vance, an apparent out-of-place gesture by Trump made headlines.
Many who watched the livestream of the event noted that Trump was apparently "sleeping" as Pete Hegseth was speaking at the event. Videos of Trump standing with his eyes closed for an extended period of time went viral on social media, especially amid reports of the 79-year-old's disrupted sleep cycle.
It sparked even more speculation as it came just a day before Trump is set to visit the Walter Reed hospital in Maryland on Tuesday for his annual health check-up.
Here's the viral video:
Trump's health has been under the scanner from the early days of his presidential tenure, given how President Joe Biden's health made headlines amid allegations of cover-up. But the White House maintains that the POTUS remains fit to perform presidential duties.
He has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, the White House physician Sean Barbarella had revealed this year. The disease is common among people of his age and is not a serious threat to Trump's health, Barbarella had added.
However, his sleep cycle remains a matter of major discussion, especially amidst the ongoing war in Iran and the upcoming mid-term elections in November this year.
Trump's Alleged Erratic Sleep Pattern
Trump's sleep pattern first made headlines after The Daily Beast published a story analyzing his late-night Truth Social posts that Trump sleeps around four hours a day, which is quite less for people of his age. The report raised a storm around Trump's health, especially amid live videos showing him apparently dozing off during public appearances.
Also read: Trump cognitive test: POTUS breaks down cognition testing questions, slams health concerns
When asked about it, Trump has maintained that he had been "resting" his eyes and attributed his reaction to boredom. But experts have flagged concerns with the sleep pattern, highlighting that it can cause late-night anxiety and affect decision-making. Questions have also been raised whether Trump is fit to perform his executive duties owing to the very public episodes of apparent sleeping.
