'You Just Lied': Rubio Says He's Never Seen Trump Sleep, Ted Lieu Responds With a POTUS Napping Video

President Donald Trump's health returned to the spotlight during a tense congressional hearing when Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted he had never seen the president fall asleep in a meeting. Moments later, Representative Ted Lieu played video footage of Trump dozing off while Rubio spoke, triggering a sharp exchange that ricocheted across social media and reignited doubts about what is really happening behind closed doors.

The confrontation comes amid renewed scrutiny of Trump's health, fuelled by comments from a medical professor who has suggested the president may have suffered a stroke, as well as continuing debate over the White House's assurances that Trump remains in excellent physical and cognitive condition.

Ted Lieu Versus Marco Rubio And The Napping President

During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Rubio defended Trump's stamina and dismissed concerns about the president's fitness for office. He told lawmakers he had never witnessed Trump sleeping during official meetings and described him as someone who works long hours and rarely rests.

''That's false,' Rubio responded when Lieu asked him if he had been in more than one meeting where the Commander-in-Chief fell asleep. 'I've never seen him sleep. On the contrary, the guy doesn't sleep.'''

Rubio went on to defend Trump, saying the US president would sometimes call him at 2 or 5 am. Lieu responded, 'I'm going to show you in a moment a video that shows you just lied to Congress.'

A video from a Cabinet meeting in December was then played, showing Trump dozing off while Rubio talked about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 'You are literally talking about issues of war and peace and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you.'

Rubio pushed back, saying, 'No, he's not.' Lieu, however, raised concerns about Trump's health, questioning whether, if he could not keep himself awake in front of the cameras, he might be struggling even more behind closed doors.

Trump has been seen multiple times sleeping during Cabinet meetings. On one occasion, during a meeting on substantial aid for farmers, he bolted awake and corrected Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on the budget, suggesting he had been listening rather than fully asleep.

Lieu and Rubio's exchange quickly became one of the most discussed moments of the hearing, with clips circulating widely online.

Why Questions About Trump's Health Have Resurfaced

The hearing came as discussion about Trump's health intensified following comments from Dr Bruce Davidson, a professor at Washington State University's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Speaking on the Daily Beast podcast, Davidson suggested Trump could have experienced a stroke during his second term. He cited several observations, including video footage that appeared to show the president 'shuffling' while walking and instances where Trump seemed to garble words during speeches. According to Davidson, such symptoms can sometimes be observed in patients recovering from strokes.

His comments gained additional attention after reports highlighted Trump's use of aspirin and other publicly discussed health details. However, Davidson's assessment was based on publicly available information rather than a direct medical examination of the president.

White House Insists Trump Remains In 'Excellent Health'

The White House has repeatedly pushed back against speculation surrounding Trump's health. Following a recent physical examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, presidential physician Captain Sean Barbabella said Trump remains in 'excellent health' and is fully capable of carrying out the duties of the presidency. The report stated that the president demonstrated strong cardiac, pulmonary and neurological function.

According to the medical summary, Trump also scored 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a widely used screening test for cognitive function. The physician concluded that the president was 'fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.'

The White House report acknowledged minor health issues, including hand irritation and slight lower-leg swelling, but said they were being monitored and did not affect Trump's ability to serve.