EYES WIDE SHUT

White House Explodes Over Viral Video of Sleepy Trump, 79

Trump’s aides flew into attack mode amid renewed scrutiny of the president’s health.

A viral video of Donald Trump sitting with his eyes closed sent the White House’s social media operation into full meltdown mode.

The administration’s Rapid Response account lashed out on Thursday after videos circulated online appearing to show the 79-year-old president slumped sideways in his chair during an Oval Office event promoting what he called “Beautiful, Clean Coal.”

One viral post, that at the time of writing has received more than 4 million views, claimed Trump was “completely passed out asleep” during the announcement and sarcastically wondered how long it would take before the White House insisted he had merely been “blinking.”

The White House then took the bait.

“His eyes are literally open in the clip you posted, you dumba-- mouth-breathers,” the Rapid Response account fired back.

The insult-laden response was the latest sign that Trump’s aides have become increasingly touchy about suggestions that the president has a habit of dozing off during public appearances.

The White House was equally dismissive when the Daily Beast reached out for comment.

“President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history,” said White House spokesperson Davis Ingle.

“While the deranged and failing Daily Beast has their lightweight, glue-sniffing ‘reporters’ push baseless conspiracy theories — President Trump is working around the clock to make our country greater than ever before.”

The White House has not responded to a subsequent request for comment following the post on X.

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The sleeping controversy had spilled into Congress on Wednesday when Rep. Ted Lieu confronted Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a series of videos that he claimed showed Trump nodding off during Cabinet meetings and other public appearances.

“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio replied. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep.”

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Rubio insisted Trump routinely calls him at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., works late into the night, and has more energy than people decades younger.

Lieu wasn’t buying it.

“I just showed you three videos of him sleeping,” the California Democrat shot back.

Lieu took aim again on Thursday night after Trump’s appearance. “The American people trust their own eyes. November is coming.”

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The administration has spent weeks trying to stamp out speculation about the president’s health, particularly after a string of videos showing him with his eyes closed during public events circulated online.

Last week, ahead of the release of Trump’s annual physical, the White House’s Rapid Response account launched a social media offensive targeting journalists who had reported on the president’s apparent public naps.

Among those singled out was CNN anchor Dana Bash, whom the account mockingly accused of “falling asleep” after posting a screenshot of her blinking.

The administration’s hypersensitivity to the issue comes as questions about Trump’s health have become increasingly difficult to avoid.

The 79-year-old president has faced scrutiny over a series of public incidents involving apparent drowsiness, bruising on his hands, swollen ankles, and repeated visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which the Daily Beast has meticulously covered.

Trump, however, has consistently dismissed concerns about his health, insisting that reports about him falling asleep are overblown and that Cabinet meetings are simply “boring as hell.”

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Olivia RalphBreaking News Reporter

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