Donald Trump has held dozens of meetings since returning to office, often confronting reporters over their behavior during briefings while repeatedly calling out previous presidents for what he sees as their shortcomings.
The president has leaned heavily into projecting toughness and control, reminding critics and supporters alike that he’s the one running the show. But when Democrats posted a photo of Trump that seemed to capture him looking a little less than his usual macho self, the internet quickly seized on it — and the reaction was immediate.
Within minutes, the image began circulating with captions and jokes that critics say perfectly undercut the image Trump has spent so much time trying to project.
National Napping Day is usually reserved for memes about snoozing alarms, third cups of coffee, and coworkers pretending to “rest their eyes.”
But this year, President Donald Trump somehow became the unofficial face of the holiday after a clip surfaced that critics say caught him looking a little too relaxed at the wrong time. Within minutes, social media did what it does best — screenshots froze mid-blink, captions wrote themselves, and timelines filled with jokes about “executive rest” and perfect timing.
Supporters brushed it off as another overblown internet pile-on. Others argued the optics felt especially awkward given the weighty issues dominating headlines. Either way, Monday got an unexpected boost — and Trump once again found himself at the center of a viral moment he probably didn’t schedule.
“Big day for the Commander-in-Sleep,” wrote one comment from a parody account on X titled “The Democrats,” accompanied by an image of Trump with his eyes closed while sitting in a briefing with Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio in Dec. 2025.
Another replied, “Look at Marco F—g Rubio sitting there mimicking Trump’s posture. Does that a–hole think that we’ll think Trump is just fine if we see a Trump Mini-Me doing the same thing?!?”
It didn’t stop there, as social media users shared more memes of Trump in baby clothes or holding a bottle, as well as more frozen frames of the president sleeping when he should be awake, taking notes.
Big day for the Commander-in-Sleep https://t.co/VrnA5XsIYr pic.twitter.com/iTAW6qJZln
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) March 9, 2026
“I’m convinced this man wants out. He’s tired, exhausted, and physically can’t handle it anymore,” said the person, while another said, “Trump stays awake for his golf games,” pointing to his weekend getaway to his Miami golf resort after attending a ceremony for soldiers who passed.
MAGA supporters to come out of the floodgates, defending Trump’s closed eyes, including one who said, “You caught him mid blink. You pathetic parasites.”
Still, critics piled on, dropping every nickname Trump has been branded with, including “The Nodfather, “Dozzy Don,” and “Sleepy Don,” the latter of which is a jab once aimed at former president “Sleepy Joe” Biden that critics now say has come full circle.
The mockery often widens to other Trump officials. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a 30-year congressional veteran, was recently caught in a brief House Judiciary Committee close-up with his eyes closed and finger pressed to his temple, as he appeared to drift off during remarks from Pam Bondi and Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin.
A pro-Trump commentary page amplified the footage, and social media quickly divided into camps. “So its only ok for Trump to sleep? Got it lol,” one wrote.
give the guy a break. He’s 4’3″ and had to get up all of those steps.
— Z_Burgs (@Z_Burgs) February 11, 2026
Another commenter added, “Yes, he’s asleep, and no, she sure didn’t give a sh-t about the victims as well.”
Others turned their attention to President Donald Trump.
As if replying directly to him, one person posted, “Then you must be dead several times over as we see you sleeping all the time in important meetings. If I were Nadler, I would sleep too rather than listen to Bondi screeching and lying.”
Another wrote, “Trump fell asleep standing behind Lee Zeldin an hour ago, he was swaying and jerking his head up after 1 minute of Zeldin talking. He’s going to fall one of these days and then we’ll have a new problem we don’t need.”
That comment referenced recent footage of President Donald Trump, 79, shutting his eyes for long periods as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin droned on about the Clean Air Act during a Thursday, Feb. 12, news conference, though he still nodded and at times jolted his eyes open.
Aside from Deb. 12, in October 2025, cameras appeared to capture him nodding off during a roundtable meeting with adviser Stephen Miller. He seemed to stir only after hearing his name mentioned, as video clips showed Trump knocked out at public events and jolting awake mid-applause.
In Washington, a few seconds of footage can eclipse hours of substance. But while the internet debated closed eyes and camera angles, the sharper moment came during the clash itself — where the focus returned to accountability, unanswered questions and a number Nadler made sure the public heard clearly.
