Donald Trump has said he closed his eyes during cabinet meetings because he found them boring, rejecting claims that he had fallen asleep. The remarks come as questions persist about his health and as his administration adjusts the format and openness of cabinet sessions following his return to the White House.
Remarks on cabinet meetings
Donald Trump, the oldest president ever elected in the United States, said he was not sleeping when he was seen with his eyes closed during a cabinet meeting last August. Referring to the session, which lasted more than three hours, the 79-year-old president said it was “quite boring, to be honest”, adding that it was “a little boring”.
During that meeting, ministers spoke in turn, praising the president, before he answered multiple questions from journalists who were present.
Response from political opponents
Trump’s political opponents said at the time that he appeared to be dozing off during parts of the session. The White House did not accept those claims, with the president later insisting his closed eyes were due to boredom rather than fatigue.
Changes to cabinet session format
On Thursday, Trump convened his cabinet for the tenth time since returning to the White House. The meeting, which was broadcast live, lasted around one hour. Unlike previous sessions, journalists were asked to leave without being allowed to pose questions.
Silence from senior officials
Among those who did not speak during the latest meeting was Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security. Democratic lawmakers have called for her resignation following the deaths of two demonstrators who were shot by federal agents in Minnesota.
Health and age under scrutiny
Trump has repeatedly sought to present himself as the opposite of his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, whom he has previously described as a “senile old man”. However, questions about Trump’s own health have continued, including repeated observations of bruising on his right hand and at least one instance on his left.
Statements on medication
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said the bruising was due to his daily intake of aspirin. He stated that doctors had considered the dosage to be high and advised him to reduce it. “They say aspirin thins the blood and I do not want my heart pumping thick blood,” he said in that interview.
Source: ΑΠΕ ΜΠΕ