Donald Trump
Trump reportedly fell asleep during high-stakes NATO summit Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Donald Trump is facing fresh mockery online after a viral video appeared to show the US president asleep during the NATO summit in Türkiye, marking the second such moment from the same trip.

The footage, widely shared on X, appeared to show Trump sitting with his eyes closed during a high-level NATO summit session. Critics quickly claimed the president looked completely asleep, with some accusing him of nodding off during one of the most important diplomatic gatherings of the year.

The nickname 'Dozy Donnie' began spreading online as opponents circulated the clip alongside other images of Trump appearing tired at public events.

One X user wrote: 'I was looking to add another picture to my Dozy Donnie collection,' sharing another image that appeared to show Trump sleeping during a previous public appearance.

Another commenter called the moment a 'national embarrassment.'

Second Viral Moment Came During Erdoğan Meeting

The NATO summit clip was not the only footage from Trump's Türkiye trip to draw attention.

A separate video from his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also circulated online, with critics claiming Trump appeared to doze off as the two leaders sat facing each other.

In that clip, Erdoğan continued speaking while Trump seemed to sit with his eyes closed for an extended period before suddenly moving again. Another segment from the same visit showed Erdoğan appearing to guide Trump towards the correct position near a microphone after his arrival, prompting more comments from critics who said the moment looked awkward.

Together, the two apparent sleeping clips fuelled a wave of online commentary about Trump's stamina during the trip.

Health Questions Return Online

The videos added to growing social media discussion about Trump's public appearances, energy levels and health.

Critics had already circulated footage from recent events, including the 4 July celebrations in Washington, DC, where some viewers claimed he again appeared tired. Others pointed to recent online concern over bruising seen on his hand, though no confirmed medical explanation has been publicly provided.

The White House has not publicly addressed the viral NATO summit sleeping clip or the separate Erdoğan meeting footage.

High-Stakes Summit Overshadowed by Viral Clips

The online mockery threatened to overshadow a summit that carried major diplomatic stakes.

During the NATO gathering, Trump said the US would give Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot air defence systems, a significant shift after Kyiv had long pushed for the technology to help counter Russian missile attacks.

The announcement came during a warmer meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a notable change from their earlier tense encounters. Trump praised Zelenskyy as 'very effective' and said the US would work on 'some kind of security package' for Ukraine.

The summit also exposed familiar tensions inside NATO. Trump criticised European partners over defence spending, revived his call for US control of Greenland and singled out Spain over its refusal to join the Iran campaign.

Still, by the end of the meeting, Trump described the gathering as one of unity and 'tremendous love,' while NATO chief Mark Rutte urged him to 'grab the win' as allies highlighted new defence spending commitments.

That contrast made the viral clips more awkward for critics and supporters alike. While Trump was pushing major policy moves on Ukraine, NATO spending and US security commitments, much of the online conversation focused instead on whether he had appeared to fall asleep twice during the Türkiye trip.