Trump Once Again Appears Drowsy at Public Event, Eliciting Observers’ Comments That He Looks ‘Horrible and Barely Conscious’

President Donald Trump dozed off during a ceremony marking a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and a video of the moment has spread online. The New Republic reports that Trump was closing his eyes as Rwandan President Paul Kagame spoke, his hands clasped and his head drooping at a table to the left.

The scene lasted only minutes because the two leaders spoke for less than 15 minutes. Even so, the image of a president nodding while foreign leaders addressed the room was hard for many to ignore.

This came days after footage from a long Cabinet meeting showed Trump resting his eyes many times during a two hour session. That earlier clip had already put viewers on alert and made the new moment feel like part of a pattern rather than a one time lapse.

White House aides pushed back, saying the president listened and that he had played a role in brokering the deal. Still, the video left plenty of people asking whether he has the energy to handle back to back duties and long days in office.

Social media filled up quickly with blunt reactions that mixed anger with mockery. People blamed late nights online and a heavy schedule, while others pointed to the contrast between his public claims of stamina and what they were seeing on video.

They were just bragging that he works 12 hours a day. 😆

— Mark (@aliasnumbersix) December 4, 2025

Reporters and critics said this clip will not end the debate over his fitness, but it does sharpen it. Past reporting on his health and on tests he received made people watch closely, and every new clip now gets fast scrutiny.

The peace deal itself matters. The signing brought Rwanda and the DRC together for a formal commitment to reduce violence and work on a plan to deal with armed groups. That larger story is the reason so many outlets covered the event live and why the moment was seen by so many viewers.

Featured image via X screengrab