Trending Now - White House Defends Trump’s Meeting Behavior Amid Nap Rumors

WHO:

Alternet - Margaret Hartmann, Intelligencer Senior Editor

Newsweek - White House

WHAT:

Alternet - President Trump has been criticized for appearing to nod off during a meeting on maternal health.

Newsweek - The White House responded to claims that Trump fell asleep at an event, stating he was "blinking."

Alternet - Trump reportedly closed his eyes for long periods during public engagements, including one instance where he shut his eyes for 18 seconds.

WHERE:

Alternet - The meeting in question was related to maternal health.

WHEN:

Alternet - The meeting where Trump appeared to nod off occurred yesterday.

WHY:

Alternet - Hartmann suggests that Trump struggles to admit he gets drowsy due to his age and his previous attacks on Joe Biden's age.

Alternet - The White House's aggressive defense may stem from the need to counteract negative perceptions of Trump's behavior in public.

HOW:

Alternet - The White House's rapid-response team used social media platform X to defend Trump, stating, "He was blinking, you absolute moron."

(UPDATED May 12, 2026 23:24 UTC)

President Trump has faced criticism for reportedly nodding off during a meeting focused on maternal health, where he was said to have closed his eyes for extended periods, including one instance lasting 18 seconds. In response, the White House defended Trump on social media, asserting that he was merely "blinking" and emphasizing the need to counter negative perceptions of his public behavior. Margaret Hartmann noted that Trump's reluctance to acknowledge his drowsiness may be influenced by his previous comments about Joe Biden's age.