Trump nods off in court on Day One of criminal trial, prompting critics to blast him as "old and weak"; one wondered if this could happen in the Situation Room

Donald Trump nods off at Day One of hush-money trial (UK Express)

 

Perhaps the hottest topic on the first day of Donald Trump's hush-money trial was the former president's disheveled appearance. He even was reported to have fallen asleep several times during the proceedings. That gave critics a chance to mock "Sleepy Don" as "old and weak." It also allowed meme artists to have a field day. (See image at the end of this post.)

Perhaps Trump was drowsy because he apparently was awake much of the previous night railing about his legal travails on Truth Social. Whatever the cause, courtroom observers said it presented a bad look. Critics said Trump came away from Day One looking "old and weak." Raw Story expounds on the issue under the headline "'Old and weak': Observers roast Trump for taking 'nap time' at hush-money trial." Brad Reed writes:

Former President Donald Trump reportedly nodded off during the first day of his hush-money trial in New York on Monday, and it didn't take long for his internet critics to pounce.

According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Trump's head on Monday kept "dropping down" while in court, with his mouth going "slack."

Given all of the jokes Trump has made about his political opponents' stamina over the years, including his decision to label President Joe Biden as "Sleepy Joe" in 2020, many users on Twitter mocked him for not even being able to stay awake at his own criminal trial for a day.

"If Trump is too old and weak to stay awake at his own criminal trial, what do you think will happen in the Situation Room?" asked Pod Save America host Dan Pfeiffer.

"Sleepy Don ... doesn’t have the stamina, the strength, the manhood to endure even a few hours in court," cracked anti-Trump strategist Rick Wilson. "Sad! Weak! Low-T!"

The anti-Trump Lincoln Project, of which Wilson is a cofounder, sarcastically asked, "Where's Mike Lindell when you need him," a reference to the Trump-loving pillow monger who became infamous for spouting false claims about voting machines stealing the 2020 election from Trump.

"Poor baby," joked Twitter user Alison Berkowitz. "Nap time!"

The Twitter account for Republican Voters Against Trump noted the irony of Trump dozing off, given his nickname for Biden. "'Sleepy Joe' is projection, like everything else," they wrote.

David DeWitt, a former court reporter and current editor-in-chief at the Ohio Capital Journal, noted that he "never saw a felony defendant sleep during his criminal trial like Trump apparently is doing."

Twitter user Francis Maxwell, meanwhile, pondered just how the president's staunchest supporters would spin him falling asleep."How long before the MAGA cultists claim Trump was actually deep in prayer as opposed to taking a catnap during his own criminal trial?" he wondered.