Trump's Health Questioned
President Trump Reportedly Dozes During Coal Funding Event, Igniting Health Speculation.
Key Points
At the June 4 Oval Office event, Trump announced a $700 million federal investment for coal that included “$425 million for existing coal-fired plants” and “$200 million for two new coal plants,” with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright at his side.
During a congressional hearing the week prior, Rep. Ted Lieu confronted Secretary of State Marco Rubio with C-SPAN footage; Rubio responded by saying, “That’s false. I’ve never seen him fall asleep. On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem because he calls me at two in the morning, he calls me at five in the morning.”
The renewed dozing controversy arrived “just days after the President's doctor said he ‘remains in excellent health,’” according to the reporting.
The White House’s online rebuttal to the new video included harsh language from its Rapid Response account, which replied to a clip claiming: “His eyes are literally open in the clip you posted, you dumbass mouth-breathers.”
One account ties the video to broader health speculation by saying Trump “had vanished from public view for over a week,” then reappeared on Tuesday, June 3, in a “pre-recorded video interview with a swollen eye,” and later faced observers who said he “did not look or sound well” at a contentious Oval Office presser.
Video footage appeared to show President Donald Trump slumping in his chair with his eyes closed during an Oval Office event on June 4, renewing sharp debate over his fitness for office OK Magazine. The moment came as Energy Secretary Chris Wright spoke in a raised voice beside him — at an event where Trump announced a $700 million federal investment to revive the U.S. coal industry The Guardian.
The episode landed just days after Trump's physician declared him in "excellent health" and only a week after the president had largely vanished from public view, fueling speculation about a possible medical crisis Mirror.
$700 Million Coal Push Overshadowed by Dozing Clip
Trump used the June 4 Oval Office event to invoke the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law that lets the government direct industrial output. He called coal "essential to national defense" and tied it to powering military bases and AI data centers The Guardian. The $700 million package included $425 million for 13 existing coal plants, $200 million for two new plants in West Virginia and Alaska, and $75 million for a new coal export terminal in Oakland, California.
The investment targets 14 coal plants and 42 coal mines across 10 states — all states Trump carried in 2024 The Guardian. Critics, including environmental groups, warned the move will raise utility bills and undermine climate goals. But the political spectacle of the dozing clip quickly overwhelmed coverage of the policy itself.
Rubio Defends Trump; Democrats Invoke 25th Amendment
During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) confronted Secretary of State Marco Rubio with C-SPAN footage of Trump apparently sleeping in public. Rubio pushed back hard. "That's false. I've never seen him fall asleep," Rubio said. "On the contrary, the guy doesn't sleep — he calls me at two in the morning, he calls me at five in the morning" OK Magazine.
Other Democrats went further. Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) called Trump's condition a "national security crisis" and demanded the 25th Amendment be invoked to remove him from office Mirror. Analysts note that removal under the 25th Amendment is a long shot — it would require a two-thirds majority in a Republican-controlled Congress.
White House Fires Back With Profanity-Laced Social Media Post
The White House did not respond quietly. Its "Rapid Response 47" account on X replied to the viral clip with blunt language: "His eyes are literally open in the clip you posted, you dumbass mouth-breathers" OK Magazine. Spokesperson Davis Ingle separately dismissed the reports as "baseless conspiracy theories" spread by "glue-sniffing reporters."
The defensive tone reflected the political stakes. Trump turns 80 on June 14, and the "Sleepy Donald" label — a flip of the "Sleepy Joe" tag Republicans used against Biden — has taken hold among his critics. Late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel mocked the footage, while Seth Meyers tied the dozing to Trump's known habit of posting on social media late at night The Guardian.
A Week of Troubling Optics Before the Coal Event
The June 4 clip did not emerge in a vacuum. Trump had been largely absent from public view for about seven days before reappearing on June 3 in a pre-recorded podcast interview Mirror. Observers noted a swollen right eye during that appearance. Later that afternoon, he held a contentious Oval Office press conference where reporters said he "did not look or sound well."
Trump's physician, Dr. Sean P. Barbabella, released a three-page memo on May 30 saying Trump has "strong cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological function" and scored a perfect 30 out of 30 on a standard cognitive test The Guardian. The report did note "slight lower leg swelling" and "benign hand bruising." Trump weighed 238 pounds — up 14 pounds from April 2025.
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