The Rose Garden Photo and the Rally

President Donald Trump used his trademark nickname for Joe Biden during a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Friday, August 21, telling the crowd: “Sleepy Joe Biden, have you heard of him? And the radical left Democrats,” according to Atlanta Black Star. He went on to say that Democrats had handed the country “a complete and total affordability and security disaster” and asked, “Remember affordability?” Trump was in Myrtle Beach to campaign for Sen. Darline Graham ahead of the Republican runoff for the seat once held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.

But less than 24 hours before that rally, Trump had been photographed sitting next to first lady Melania Trump at a White House Rose Garden event, his eyes closed, chin tipped toward his chest, hands flat on his thighs, in a white folding chair, according to Atlanta Black Star. The image went viral online, shifting the focus from Melania’s return after a 32-day absence—she opened the event with a joke, saying, “I heard you missed me” (Atlanta Black Star)—to the president’s apparent doze.

The photo prompted sharp reactions on social media. One user mocked Trump for calling Biden “Sleepy Joe” while appearing to fall asleep on camera on a regular basis (Atlanta Black Star). Another user commented on the strain on Trump’s suit jacket, saying, “That button on his suit is about to go flying off and kill someone” (Atlanta Black Star). A third user, quoted by Atlanta Black Star, wrote: “In my 63 years of living, I have never seen anything like this. We are looking at a sitting president in broad daylight, slumped over and completely asleep on camera, while his own wife sits right beside him looking straight ahead without even giving him a nudge. This goes way beyond embarrassing optics—this is dangerous.”

Previous Instances and Trump’s Denial

Atlanta Black Star reported that Trump has been photographed with his eyes closed at a December 2025 Cabinet meeting, a February Board of Peace summit, a spring Oval Office drug-pricing event, and during Memorial Day observances at Arlington National Cemetery, as reported by PBS. Trump has denied falling asleep at such events. Referring to the Cabinet footage, he said: “Some people said, he closed his eyes. Look, it got pretty boring. I didn’t sleep. I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell outta here” (Atlanta Black Star).

The Daily Beast also noted the photo, saying Trump, who is 80 years old, was “fresh off a day at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington” before the rally, and that his habit of dozing off during public events was well documented.

Medical Analyst’s Comments

CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said the president “appears to struggle to stay awake during the day” and that “He falls asleep very often,” as quoted by Forbes and cited by both Atlanta Black Star and The Daily Beast.

Truth Social Activity

The Daily Beast reported that Trump’s Truth Social account posted a series of messages overnight, including AI-generated content and pro-MAGA messages covering topics such as the Iran war, November’s midterm elections, sanctuary cities, and Western civilization. One post depicted George Washington scowling and pointing, with a caption stating: “WE FOUGHT A REVOLUTION AND WORKED TO GIVE YOU PEOPLE FREEDOM” and “DON’T SIT BACK AND GIVE IT AWAY TO TERRORISTS POSING AS A POLITICAL PARTY.”

The Daily Beast reported that Trump did not write the posts himself, and that aides often post on his behalf, usually after he dictates messages. This duty is carried out by Natalie Harp, a former right-wing television anchor who makes $150,000 annually as Trump’s executive assistant, according to The Daily Beast. The outlet noted that this was seen in a 2024 Fox Nation episode of Art of the Surge, in which Trump dictated his reactions to Kamala Harris’s DNC speech to Harp for posting.

The Daily Beast also reported that Harp wrote Trump fawning letters, including one from 2023 in which she told him, “You are all that matters to me” and thanked him for being her “Guardian and Protector in this Life.” In the same letter, she wrote she had been distracted all week, forgetting to eat and catching only a couple hours of sleep at a time.

The article also cited CNN reporting that White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino also has access to Trump’s Truth Social account. CNN’s Alayna Treene said Trump often posts personally, particularly late at night and early in the morning, and reposts heavily overnight, with Harp and Scavino also having access (as reported by The Daily Beast).