Trump Only Sleeps Three Hours Claims Johnson as President Caught Nodding Off Repeatedly

US House Speaker Mike Johnson has confirmed that President Donald Trump routinely operates on just three to four hours of sleep per night. This admission has intensified concerns regarding the 79-year-old's physical and cognitive stamina.

Johnson's comment, made during a televised interview, was intended to praise the President's work ethic but has instead fuelled speculation that chronic sleep deprivation is the cause of Trump's recent public instances of apparent drowsiness.

Trump's Sleeping Schedule Laid Bare

During an interview onVarney & Co, host Stewart Varney asked Johnson if he works 18 hours a day, and Johnson answered in the affirmative before adding 'more.' The House Speaker then justified his long hours by stating that Trump works 21 hours a day, implying that the President only gets three hours of rest.

Johnson may have intended the remark as a compliment to Trump's relentless work ethic. Critics, however, heard an alarm bell. For them, the admission was not about dedication; it was a glaring red flag for a leader whose judgment depends on clarity and focus.

The Science of Sleep Deprivation

What does a consistent lack of sleep actually do to the human brain? According to sleep scientists, the effects are not subtle. Key cognitive functions, from attention and memory to executive function, begin to degrade rapidly.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links chronic sleep deprivation directly to an increased risk of poor decision-making and an inability to process complex information. For a head of state responsible for national security and economic stability, those risks are magnified. Medical professionals frame the presidency as a cognitive marathon, not a sprint. Forgoing sleep, they argue, undermines the very resilience required to govern effectively.

Divergent Interpretations

While the visual evidence of Trump closing his eyes during meetings drew widespread disapproval from the public and rivals, some allies have framed it as a sign of dedication. Dr Marc Siegel, a Senior Medical Analyst for Fox News, offered a notable dissenting view: he praised the President instead for his dedication to working non-stop.

'This is a disgrace because we don't need to see President Trump passing cognitive tests, as you just said he passes one every single day,' the doctor said when asked about media coverage of Trump shutting his eyes. 'Every single moment, going in and out of press conferences. I have never seen anything like it, actually.'

Trump Expresses Annoyance Over the Media's Interest in His Health

This incident, combined with previous reports of the President appearing exhausted during meetings, has amplified speculation about a potential health crisis. At the cabinet meeting last week, he was seen closing his eyes yet again.

Trump appeared to visibly struggle with fatigue during that event, which followed an earlier instance where he seemed to doze off in the Oval Office. The Cabinet session, which lasted over two hours, started with the President blasting media coverage that questioned his physical stamina and his age

When directly asked about the President falling asleep, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a forceful denial. In her statement, Leavitt defended the President by saying he was not fatigued but was, in fact, 'listening attentively and running the entire meeting.'

This official position reflects the administration's consistent rejection of all inquiries and criticism related to Trump's sleep habits and physical fitness for office.