Trump appears to fall asleep at his birthday UFC event

U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th and America's 250th birthday with an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event on the White House lawn, and while the event appeared as electrifying as ever, it allegedly didn't keep the president from nodding off. Videos of him went viral on social media, where he appeared to close his eyes for a prolonged period while facing the direction of an ongoing fight. 

Trump and thousands of other mixed martial arts fans watched the UFC Freedom 250 event, where American fighter Justin Gaethje beat Spanish-Georgian opponent Ilia Topuria to win the lightweight championship in the main event. However, during the championships' early bouts, Trump seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes on the action inside the octagon. Videos shared by Call to Activism on X seemingly showed the president nodding off while sitting beside UFC president, and his longtime friend, Dana White. 

The fight night was the first-ever professional sporting event held at the presidential residence. Despite being delayed by thunderstorms, the event went forward as planned with several administration officials in attendance, along with Trump's immediate family. While the crowd, which at one point sang the president happy birthday, was loud, another angle appeared to show the president with his eyes firmly shut. 

This isn't the first time allegations that the president has nodded off during public events have emerged. Trump, who long criticized former president Joe Biden for being slow and "sleepy", has allegedly fallen asleep at cabinet meetings, White House events, a Memorial Day ceremony, and, most recently, during the loud and energetic New York Knicks-San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals game. The issue was also highlighted by Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu, who showed videos of Trump allegedly nodding off to State Secretary Marco Rubio, asking him if he was concerned about the president's health. 

Defending the president, Rubio told the California lawmaker that he had never seen the president fall asleep in a meeting. “I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio said. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem,” adding that the president frequently calls him late in the night and early morning. Showing another clip, Lieu insisted that Rubio was lying to Congress and hiding the truth. 

These incidents have also reinvigorated concerns about Trump's health as he will officially become the oldest American president by the time he leaves office. He has faced persistent questions about the recurrent bruising on his hands and swelling in his legs, his stamina and mental fitness, after he appeared to slur in his speeches. Trump has also undergone four physical exams since taking office, unlike other presidents who typically take one assessment per year. His most recent check-up at the end of May concluded Trump was in "perfect health" after the three-hour-long exam. This came as, according to The Telegraph, Washington insiders say Trump is determined to avoid comparisons to Biden, whom he called "Sleepy Joe", as he faced endless questions about his cognitive health and age when he left office at 82.