President Donald Trump drew renewed attention to his health Monday after appearing to struggle to keep his eyes open during a high-profile Oval Office event announcing a massive new steel project in Iowa.
Trump, 80, was seated behind the Resolute Desk on September 28 as administration officials, Iowa political leaders and executives from Mesabi Metallics discussed plans for a $15 billion steel complex in the state.
At several points while others were speaking, Trump could be seen with his eyes closed for extended stretches. His head also appeared to dip forward before he opened his eyes again.
The footage quickly circulated online, with critics questioning whether the president had briefly dozed off.
There is no way to determine from video alone whether Trump was asleep, simply resting his eyes or experiencing fatigue, and the White House has not announced any new medical issue connected to the appearance.
Major Steel Announcement Takes Center Stage
The event itself centered on one of the largest proposed industrial investments in the country.
Mesabi Metallics, a Minnesota company owned by India-based Essar Group, plans to spend approximately $15 billion on a steel complex in Iowa. The company says the Iowa operation will eventually be linked to its iron ore mining operation in Minnesota as part of an $18 billion overall investment.
Trump described the project as potentially the largest steel plant in the United States.
The White House said the facility is expected to initially produce about 7.5 million tons of steel annually, with capacity eventually increasing to roughly 10 million tons.
Officials also project approximately 1,750 permanent jobs in Iowa along with thousands of construction jobs. Steel production is expected to begin around 2030.
Trump credited his administration’s trade policies, including tariffs on imported steel, with encouraging companies to expand production in the United States.
“Everyone is building their plants here because they don’t want to pay tariffs,” Trump said during the event.
Trump’s Appearance Gets Attention
The economic announcement was soon competing for attention with footage of Trump sitting quietly as other speakers addressed the room.
When Energy Secretary Chris Wright and company officials spoke, cameras showed Trump repeatedly closing his eyes. At other moments, he appeared alert and turned toward the speakers.
Some viewers also criticized portions of Trump’s remarks as rambling or difficult to follow.
Those observations, however, should not be treated as a medical diagnosis. Short video clips cannot establish whether someone is suffering from a sleep disorder, neurological condition or any other illness.
The White House has repeatedly pushed back when Trump’s public appearances have prompted speculation about his health.
Similar Claims Have Surfaced Before
Monday’s appearance was not the first time Trump has been accused by critics and social media users of falling asleep at a public event.
In July, photographs and video from the funeral of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham showed Trump with his eyes closed during portions of the service at Washington National Cathedral.
The White House disputed claims that he had fallen asleep, saying Trump was reflecting during the memorial service.
Similar online speculation has surfaced following other public appearances.
Those episodes have increasingly drawn attention because Trump turned 80 in June, making questions about presidential health a recurring subject of public discussion.
White House Doctor Says Trump Is Fit for Office
The administration has offered a sharply different assessment of Trump’s health.
Following a May visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella said Trump remained in excellent health and was capable of performing the duties of the presidency.
The medical report cited strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and physical function and said Trump received a perfect score on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a commonly used cognitive screening test.
The White House has therefore rejected outside attempts to diagnose Trump based on television appearances or photographs.
Some physicians appearing in the media have nevertheless raised questions about Trump’s apparent daytime fatigue. Such comments are outside assessments and are not based on a personal examination of the president.
That distinction is important: there has been no publicly released medical diagnosis showing that Trump’s eye-closing during Monday’s event was caused by a health condition.
For now, the footage has added another round of scrutiny surrounding the 80-year-old president while the White House maintains that he remains healthy and fully capable of carrying out his duties.
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Always on the go and thinking or writing, he doesn’t get much time to sleep… and most Govt meetings are boring…