Trump’s court nap gives rise to ‘Sleepy Don’ taunt

Biden campaign puts focus on ex-president as he appears to doze off.

Former president Donald Trump has long cast President Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” accusing him of being too old and weak to do the job. Now Biden’s campaign sees an opportunity to turn the tables.

The campaign has increasingly put a spotlight on reports that Trump has appeared to doze off during his hush-money trial in New York, which started this week.

“A feeble and tired Donald Trump once again falls asleep in court,” the campaign said Friday on X, responding to a New

York Times live blog entry saying Trump “appears to have fallen asleep in court again.”

Later Friday, Biden’s campaign labeled Trump “Sleepy Don” in a news release saying he had a “nightmare week” that included getting “some shut-eye.”

The digs are notable because Biden’s campaign and the White House have otherwise avoided commenting on the trial itself. Trump has argued that the case is an attempt to interfere with the 2024 election, claiming without evidence that Biden has orchestrated it in the run-up to their November rematch.

Trump’s campaign fired back at the Biden campaign Friday, calling the Times report “fake news from a reporter who wasn’t even in the courtroom.”

“Contrast that with Biden falling asleep constantly at meetings, and tripping and busting his (expletive) while falling down numerous times,” Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.

The Times reporter who wrote the blog post, Maggie Haberman, said in an email that she was watching from an overflow room outside the courtroom.

“Unlike the Trump aides sitting rows behind him in the courtroom, I was in the overflow room and, along with other reporters, could see his entire face on a very large monitor through closed-circuit camera,” Haberman said.

Trump is required to attend every day of the trial, which started Monday with jury selection.

It is not entirely clear if Trump has fallen asleep in court. Washington Post reporters have been watching the trial from inside the courtroom — but seated behind Trump — and from the overflow room where there is a video feed. They have seen his eyes close multiple times this week.

On Tuesday, during questioning of the jurors, Trump closed his eyes and his head occasionally dipped down. In another moment, Trump leaned back and his eyes appeared to be closed as his head occasionally tilted.

On Thursday, Trump appeared to be resting his eyes while the judge, Juan Merchan, read extended jury instructions.

The criticism of Trump comes as part of a sustained effort by the Biden campaign to amplify examples of the former president mixing up people, misstating facts or slipping over his words, as Biden officials fight back against concerns about Biden’s own mental fitness. Even though Biden, 81, is only a few years older than Trump, 77, polls show voters are more concerned about Biden’s age.

At the White House, officials have repeatedly declined to comment on the case and suggested Biden is not paying close attention.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday, the first day of the trial, that she expected Biden to “get an update at some point today” but that he was focused on meetings with foreign leaders that day. Asked about the trial the next day, she said Biden was focused on a three-day tour of Pennsylvania that he was starting that day.

The trial, Trump said Friday afternoon on social media, “is a Long, Rigged, Endurance Contest.”