Donald Trump appears to have fallen asleep again at another Oval Office event, even as people standing right next to him were talking.
At the event to announce a billion-dollar cash injection to the coal industry, the president’s eyes grew heavy as other men around him spoke.
Donald Trump appearing to nap during an Oval Office event. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
As he sat at his desk, lingering blinks became prolonged periods of time with his eyes closed.
His apparent sleep took place even as Energy Secretary Chris Wright spoke loudly while clutching Trump’s chair.
At some points, Trump’s head was turned away from the person speaking, his eyes shut.
His latest apparent nap came days after his Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied ever seeing the president sleeping.
Rubio was quizzed on the president’s restfulness during a House Foreign Affairs committee hearing on Wednesday.
“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio said.
“On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem.”
Democratic congressman Ted Lieu then played Rubio a video in which Trump appeared to fall asleep beside him during a cabinet meeting.
“You are literally talking about issues of war and peace and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you,” Lieu said.
“The president’s inability to stay awake on the job has caused other countries to perceive him differently. They mock him.”
President Donald Trump appeared to be napping during a cabinet meeting in December 2025. Getty
Last month Trump also appeared to fall asleep at an event promoting maternal health and fertility in the Oval Office.
Today’s event was to announce $A980 million in grants to the coal industry, using a Cold War-era statute.
The grants will keep 14 coal plants open as well as build two more.
At the event, Trump bragged that the grants would all be going to states that he won.
“Coal’s a great business,” Trump said.
“In terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.”
Coal production has halved in the US since 2008 after renewable energy and gas power has become substantially cheaper to generate.
“It is disgusting and reprehensible that the President of the United States is giving away our taxpayer dollars to deadly and expensive coal plants that will make Americans sicker and drive up electricity prices even more,” the Sierra Club’s Patrick Drupp said.
“This handout betrays everything Donald Trump promised and only serves his Big Coal buddies who stroke his ego and hand him shiny trophies.”
The grants have been strongly criticised by Democrats.
“While your electricity bills are going up and taking cash out of your budget, Trump is stealing out of our national wallet—using taxpayer dollars to pay for polluting, expensive, and unnecessary coal plants,” Senator Ed Markey said.
“We need to save Americans’ money, not give it to Trump’s fossil donors.”