The Trump administration has been forced to push back after video clips appeared to show the president dozing off mid-event, an awkward scene that quickly went viral across social media platforms.
”The Nodfather..”
Last week, cameras captured Donald Trump leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed during a televised Oval Office briefing on weight loss medications, prompting a wave of online jokes and memes labeling him “Dozy Don.”
The irony wasn’t lost on critics, given Trump’s years of mocking his predecessor as “Sleepy Joe.”
During the event, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s head of Medicare services, announced new plans to cut the cost of popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs.
As Oz spoke, Trump appeared to briefly slump in his seat, sparking widespread speculation that the president had fallen asleep.
“People can sleep again, because they can breathe when they go to bed,” Oz said beside the Resolute Desk, while the president’s eyelids seemed to lose their battle against gravity.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Two months ago, California Governor Gavin Newsom, through his press office, began referring to Donald Trump as “Dozy Don” after photos surfaced showing the president appearing to nod off during a public appearance.
And Newsom wasted no time after seeing the new pictures, posting on X: “DOZY DON IS BACK.”
But it didn’t stop there. Over the weekend, the governor’s press office shared a photo collage of Trump with his eyes closed, captioned “The Nodfather” — styled in the same font as the iconic Godfather movie poster.
Now older than Joe Biden was when he entered the White House in 2020, Trump’s apparent drowsiness fueled questions about his stamina during high-profile meetings.
White House fires back
The White House dismissed the viral footage as nonsense, issuing a fiery statement that labeled the coverage “garbage.”
”The President was not sleeping; in fact, he spoke throughout and took many questions from the press during this announcement which represents a historic reduction in prices for Americans on two drugs that help Americans struggling with diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other conditions,” the statement read.
The administration accused “liberal media” outlets of fixating on a non-story instead of covering what it called a major healthcare achievement.
”This announcement by President Trump will save a significant amount of money and countless American lives, and yet the failing, liberal media want to push a garbage narrative instead of covering it,” the White House told CNN.
If implemented, the new policy would slash prices for GLP-1 drugs — dropping oral versions to $149 a month and injectable ones to $249.
A chaotic week in the West Wing
The Oval Office briefing wasn’t the only moment to raise eyebrows last week. In a separate incident, an unnamed pharmaceutical executive collapsed during another White House event, setting off a brief panic among attendees.
Photos from the scene showed Dr. Oz and other officials rushing to the man’s aid. Health Secretary RFK Jr. was also spotted leaving the frame as staffers and reporters scrambled.
Donald Trump, James Austin Johnson. Credit: Getty Images, Youtube/SNL
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Pictures of Donald Trump, who was standing at his desk looking towards the cameras while people helped the man on the floor, quickly spread.
“Just replace the guy on the floor with America and we have the perfect painting for 2025,” one person wrote on Reddit.
Oz later confirmed that the man had recovered after receiving medical attention.
