'Commander in Sleep' Donald Trump Branded 'The Nodfather' After Dozing At Major Peace Event

US President Donald Trump appeared to close his eyes and slump in his chair during the first meeting of his new 'Board of Peace' in Washington on Thursday, in footage that quickly spread online. The clip landed as Trump used the event to announce billions of dollars in pledges for Gaza's reconstruction and stabilisation, putting renewed attention on both the initiative's credibility and the president's public stamina.

The meeting held at the US Institute of Peace and attended by delegations from dozens of countries was billed by the White House as a flagship forum aimed at mobilising money and support for post-war Gaza. But several major European allies have already declined to join the board, citing concerns about its structure and relationship with the United Nations, leaving the launch politically exposed even before the viral moment.

Donald Trump Caught On Camera During Board Meeting

Video from the livestream showed Donald Trump seated on stage with his eyes shut for several seconds as other speakers addressed the hall, prompting social media users to suggest he had nodded off. One widely shared post from journalist Aaron Rupar read: 'more than two hours into this 'Board of Peace' meeting, we are now enduring random world leader open mic time and Trump's eyes are closed.'

The Boston Globe reported Trump appeared to be 'fighting sleep' at points during the session and seemed to rouse when applause broke out. Other commentary online mocked the pace of proceedings, with some users labelling the gathering a 'Bored of Peace' meeting.

The White House has not, in the reporting cited, issued an immediate public explanation for the specific moment captured in the clip. However, the episode follows earlier coverage of Trump appearing drowsy in other public settings, including a cabinet meeting late last year.

In January, Trump addressed a previous incident in remarks quoted by the Globe, saying: 'I didn't sleep. I just closed them because it was a little bit on the boring side.' Trump has also previously used the nickname 'Sleepy Joe' to attack his predecessor, Joe Biden, a line now being revisited by critics in light of the latest footage.

Donald Trump's Gaza Pledges And Allied Resistance

The viral clip came at the end of a meeting in which Trump outlined funding commitments tied to Gaza. He said the United States would contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace, while other member states had pledged roughly $7 billion, according to multiple reports.

Trump also said several countries would provide personnel for an international stabilisation effort, naming Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo and Kazakhstan among those committing 'troops and police'. Bloomberg reported the White House did not immediately respond to questions about where the US funds would come from.

At the same time, European governments have signalled they will not participate in the board's current form. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin would not join due to constitutional reasons, in comments reported by Deutsche Welle. Time reported that the UK had also declined to join, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper citing concerns about potential Russian involvement.

Questions about Trump's health have circulated in recent months alongside the political scrutiny. In late 2025, the White House released details of what it described as 'preventative' MRI imaging of Trump's cardiovascular system and abdomen, with his doctor saying results were 'perfectly normal,' according to Stat News. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt also described the imaging as preventative and said results were normal in remarks reported by Forbes.