Trump 'sleeping habits' draw warning on House floor: 'Grave national security threat'

A California Democrat took to the House floor Tuesday to declare Donald Trump's tendency to fall asleep in public a "grave national security threat" — and demanded that Republicans join her in forcing the White House to come clean about the president's health.

The speech by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove was first flagged by journalist Aaron Rupar.

"In meeting after meeting, Donald Trump has fallen asleep — in public, on camera, in broad daylight, when people lavish praise on him," she said. "We cannot trust the White House on matters concerning the president's health because they are denying what Americans are seeing with our own two eyes."

The speech came days after a dramatic confrontation at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) played three videos of Trump apparently sleeping at official events — then told Secretary of State Marco Rubio, "You're lying consistently to Congress," after Rubio insisted he had never witnessed the president doze off.

"Just last week, Marco Rubio seemingly lied to Congress about this when he told my colleague that he had never been at a meeting where Trump fell asleep," Kamlager-Dove said, "despite being shown a video where the president dozed off right next to him."

Trump appeared to nod off repeatedly during a December 2025 Cabinet meeting.

He again seemed to be sleeping during an Oval Office coal announcement on June 4, and once more at Madison Square Garden during Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 8.

CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner diagnosed the president on air with "severe daytime somnolence." "He falls asleep very often," Reiner said, warning the condition carries increased risk of dementia, heart attacks, and cognitive decline.

"Is he sleeping in classified briefings, on calls with foreign leaders?" Kamlager-Dove asked. "How can we trust a president who is literally asleep at the wheel to make informed decisions about national security?"

An April 10-13 Economist/YouGov poll found 48% of Americans believe Trump is suffering modest to significant cognitive decline.

Kamlager-Dove also cited bruised hands the White House attributes to handshakes; an MRI whose target organ Trump said he didn't know; a dentist visit kept off the presidential calendar; and finasteride — a hair loss drug Trump took for years — quietly dropped from his public medication list.

"The current report reflects all medications deemed clinically relevant to disclose at this time," the White House told the Washington Post.

Trump previously blamed the December Cabinet meeting on boredom. "I didn't sleep," he told officials. "I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell outta here."

"It is time for Republicans to wake up and join Democrats in demanding transparency from this White House about the president's health," Kamlager-Dove said. "It is a matter of national security."