“Asleep?” Photos of Trump with eyes closed in the Oval Office stirred America: what really happened

An eye in the frame, a storm on social media: how one snapshot turned into a political meme, a reason for criticism and a diagnosis for an entire era

On November 8, the world's news and social media feeds went off the rails: thousands of posts, pictures, and jokes were posted — all because of instant photos of Donald Trump at a public event at the White House. The president appeared exhausted to users, his eyes closed, just as reporters were recording his every move during the announcement of lower drug prices for Americans.¹

The shot that flew around America: why everyone is talking about “closed eyes”

That day, Trump gave a speech on the availability of weight loss drugs and cardiovascular disease. Photos of him sitting at the Resolute Desk with his eyes closed appeared almost instantly on all platforms. At some points, he could be seen rubbing his eyes, and in some shots, he seemed to be struggling with sleep. At the same time, in other photos, Trump is actively communicating, answering questions, and reacting to the audience.¹

But for social media, this was enough — “Dozy Don is back!” was “spoiled” by opponents, and the press service of California Governor Newsom used these shots for an instant political joke. The networks discussed this photo no less than the drug pricing reform itself.

The official answer: “Trump was awake!”

Press secretary Taylor Rogers quickly commented on the situation for CNN: “The president was not asleep, on the contrary, he spoke and actively participated in the discussion, answering dozens of questions. This was a historic event: a reduction in the price of medicines for millions, and the media is choosing a photo and trying to make a show out of it.”¹

The White House emphasized that after the speech, the president spoke to the press for a long time, traveled to Miami to give a public speech, conducted an international tour to three Asian countries, and holds long meetings almost every week. But opponents have already shared a picture with the caption "sleepy Don," recalling his joke from the 2024 election about "sleepy Joe."

The health of the 79-year-old president: questions of age and endurance

Trump's physical form has drawn special attention in the past year: against the background of age, vein disease, regular check-ups at a military hospital. The story with "closed eyes" itself became a reason for another controversy about the health of senior political leaders in general - both Barack Obama and Joe Biden were mentioned, who were repeatedly caught in similar moments during long-lasting meetings.¹

In the summer, doctors diagnosed Trump with “venous insufficiency in his legs,” and in late October, the president underwent an MRI at Walter Reed Hospital — but he has not yet publicly disclosed the details.

Political memes and the resistance movement: how the internet always wins over officialdom

A new wave of memes has revived an old debate: can physical exhaustion be a stumbling block for the highest power? The network recalls how Trump called Biden “sleepy Joe,” teased him for “sleepiness,” now this “label” is returning to Donald himself. “All presidents are people,” some analysts write. “And even young Obama rubbed his eyes during summits, it’s just that there wasn’t such an explosion of social networks then.”

The picture quickly became detached from the essence of the drug reform. And experts are convinced: a single second cannot be a criterion for assessing the working capacity or ability of the president, despite any political mood or public irony. However, such a moment always becomes a powerful tool in the hands of competitors, even in the most powerful democracy.¹

Sources

1. CNN: Images of Trump appearing to close his eyes during Oval Office event spread across social media (2025-11-08)