Trump Appears to Doze Off Again During Xi Jinping Press Conference
Video of an 80-year-old Trump with heavy, fluttering eyes during Xi's remarks at the White House renews questions about his stamina, two weeks after a similar episode at the 9/11 memorial.
What to know
- Video from a September 24 White House press conference with Xi Jinping shows Trump, 80, appearing drowsy — the second such episode in a month, after the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial.
- The footage revived public debate about Trump's age and fitness for office, with some commenters invoking constitutional removal mechanisms.
- Reaction online split between serious calls for accountability (25th Amendment/impeachment debate) and jokes dismissing the episode as unremarkable.
The dispute Commenters disagree on whether the drowsiness signals a genuine fitness-for-office crisis requiring formal removal proceedings, or is a minor, even humorous, non-event. · positions read across 4 posts and comments
This is a symptom of real incapacity and those who enabled Trump (including GOP senators) bear responsibility.
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“Trump was just the needed tool, however those who knew better went along willingly and knowingly... This is just as Caligula elevating his favorite horse to consul and daring opposition.”
Efficient_Resist_287 · reddit ↗
If incapacity is the concern, impeachment/removal is the more realistic legal path than the 25th Amendment.
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“You need to actually go read the 25th amendment since you don't seem to understand how it works. Impeachment and removal would be an easier and lower bar to removal.”
Meat-Popsicle42 · reddit ↗
The episode is not serious and merits mockery rather than concern.
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“Not to defend that disgusting sack of criminal shit, but Winnie the Pooh always put me to sleep, too.”
SpezSucksSamAltman · reddit ↗
Donald Trump U.S. President
Xi Jinping President of ChinaAaron Rupar Journalist / social media commentatorMalcolm Ferguson New Republic writer
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Commenters mock Trump's dozing rather than treat it seriously
Other commenters responded to the video with jokes rather than concern, comparing the episode to being lulled to sleep by Xi's remarks.
“Not to defend that disgusting sack of criminal shit, but Winnie the Pooh always put me to sleep, too.”
— SpezSucksSamAltman -
C
Donald Trump could barely keep his eyes open during a press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday. The president looked completely out of it at multiple points during Xi’s speech —eyes heavy and fluttering, body hunched forward. This is the second time this month that the 80-year-old president has appeared…
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
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Not to defend that disgusting sack of criminal shit, but Winnie the Pooh always put me to sleep, too.
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Commenters debate 25th Amendment vs. impeachment over Trump's fitness
Reddit commenters responding to the drowsiness footage argued about whether the episode should trigger scrutiny of Trump's capacity, with one invoking the 25th Amendment and another countering that impeachment would be the more applicable route.
“You need to actually go read the 25th amendment since you don't seem to understand how it works. Impeachment and removal would be an easier and lower bar to removal.”
— Meat-Popsicle42 -
Trump was just the needed tool, however those who knew better went along willingly and knowingly. They (GOP senate) accepted the nomination of a Fox News show pundit as defense secretary. This is just as Caligula elevating his favorite horse to consul and daring opposition. History will remember all GOP senators went along with it therefore every…
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
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You need to actually go read the 25th amendment since you don’t seem to understand how it works. Impeachment and removal would be an easier and lower bar to removal.
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New Republic frames episode as a recurring bad look
New Republic's Malcolm Ferguson wrote that this was the second time this month Trump appeared drowsy during an important televised event and argued it reflects poorly on the president regardless of excuses offered by his team.
“This is a very bad look, regardless of what excuse his team and supporters spin up.”
— Malcolm Ferguson, New Republic -
background
Trump appears to nod off as Xi speaks at White House — During a press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, video showed Trump's eyes heavy and fluttering and his body hunched forward at multiple points while Xi spoke.
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background
Trump appears drowsy at Pentagon 9/11 memorial — During a televised event marking 25 years since the September 11 attacks, Trump appeared drowsy, an episode later cited as the first of two such incidents this month.