US President Donald Trump's apparent alertness during a key administration meeting has come under the spotlight after he was seen closing his eyes on multiple occasions. The incident occurred during his ninth Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 2, a session that extended for over two hours.
Lengthy Updates Met With Presidential Stillness
The marathon meeting featured detailed presentations from several top officials. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among those who delivered updates. As the roundtable of praise and performance summaries continued, the 79-year-old president's focus seemed to waver. Observers noted he leaned back, slouched forward, twiddled his thumbs, and at times sat completely motionless.
Eyes Closed During Key Briefings
Trump narrowed, closed, or seemed to close his eyes at several critical junctures. This included moments during animated comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and as Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer outlined important workforce development initiatives. His posture, often looking down at papers, further suggested he might have been dozing. Even during a briefing by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on recent achievements, Trump remained largely slumped and unresponsive, adding to the impression of drowsiness.
Rubio's Remarks Briefly Break the Spell
The final speaker, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praised Trump's "transformational" foreign policy. Seated beside him, Trump sat with eyes shut until he suddenly straightened up mid-remark. Later, when Rubio cracked a joke about the college football playoff season, the Cabinet room erupted in loud laughter. However, the president barely reacted, his lips only tightening slightly as his eyes fluttered.
This meeting followed closely after a New York Times analysis raised fresh questions about Trump's stamina and pace given his age. In response to that report, the president had touted his "perfect physical exam" and personally criticized the appearance of the journalist who wrote the story. The visual from the Cabinet meeting is likely to fuel further debate on this topic.
