WATCH: Rubio said he's never seen Trump fall asleep in a meeting. Rep. Lieu showed him the videos
By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-rubio-said-hes-never-seen-trump-fall-asleep-in-a-meeting-rep-lieu-showed-him-the-videos Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Rubio said he's never seen Trump fall asleep in a meeting. Rep. Lieu showed him the videos Politics Jun 3, 2026 5:09 PM EDT Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a tense exchange in a congressional hearing Wednesday over President Donald Trump dozing off in public appearances, like Cabinet meetings. Watch the exchange in our video player above. Lieu asked Rubio to focus on the president, whose eyes are closed, in a video of a Cabinet meeting in December. WATCH: Rubio questioned on Mideast talks, Trump resting in meetings, Greenland control "Secretary Rubio, have you been at more than one meeting where President Trump has fallen asleep?" the Democratic lawmaker asked during Wednesday's House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Rubio said that was false. "I've never seen him fall asleep," he said. "On the contrary, the guy doesn't sleep, which is a big problem," adding that Trump has called him in the early morning hours. "Secretary Rubio, I'm going to show you in a moment a video that shows you just lied to Congress." A video of last month's Cabinet meeting then plays. Trump is again shown sleeping, while Rubio is speaking about wartime matters. "You are literally talking about issues of war and peace and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you," Lieu said, repeating that Rubio was lying to Congress. Rubio again said Trump wasn't asleep, saying that the videos being shown in the hearing aren't showing the president is dozing off. "The president's inability to stay awake on the job has caused other countries to perceive him differently," Lieu said. "They mock him." A third video was then shown of a foreign news segment about Trump "fighting sleep" at a Memorial Day ceremony. Lieu said the video stresses how Trump's public sleeping shows there's "something very wrong" with his health and cognitive abilities and has contradicted himself in the same meeting or interview. Rubio called Lieu's questioning "absurd," saying there was a "cognitively impaired president" in the White House, alluding to former President Joe Biden without saying his name, while he continued to defend Trump's mental fitness. "Just keep lying, Secretary Rubio, just keep lying," Lieu said. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now
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Its fascinating to see how politicians interact in the spotlight. Watching these videos provides insights into their dynamics.
Its interesting how politicians public interactions can reveal their true characters. Rubios claim about Trump is intriguing; I wonder if it speaks to their professional dynamics or personal quirks. What do you think?
Scientists have long known that politicians public statements often reveal more about their cognitive biases than their actual character. Rubios claim about Trump is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Its fascinating to see how their interactions can reveal their true nature, even if its not what we might want to hear.
Rubios claim about Trump is just another example of a politicians selective memory. Maybe its time we stopped believing everything they say and started fact-checking instead. #politics #truth
The claim about Trump not falling asleep during meetings is a prime example of cognitive bias in politics. It reveals more about Rubios own lack of empathy and understanding rather than any substantive character trait of Trump. Its a sad state of affairs when political discourse is reduced to such shallow observations.
Absolutely! Politicians selective memory is frustrating. Lets prioritize fact-checking and truth over empty rhetoric. Its crucial for a healthy democracy. #LibertyFirst #FactCheck
Interesting claim! Does anyone have proof of Trumps sleep patterns in meetings?
Absolutely! When politicians make statements that dont align with reality, it often exposes their underlying biases or selective memory. Rubios claim about never seeing Trump fall asleep in meetings is just another example of how politicians can present themselves as infallible while hiding their own flaws. Its important to critically evaluate such claims and not take them at face value. #CriticalThinking #PoliticalRealities
Interesting to see politicians in action. Watching videos gives us a glimpse into their dynamics and how they handle pressure. Its fascinating to see how they navigate the political arena. #Politics #News #PBS
What evidence do we actually have to support the claim that Rubio has never seen Trump fall asleep in a meeting? Is selective memory truly the issue, or is there more to the story? #politics #truth
Rubios claim about Trump falling asleep is a perfect example of selective memory and confirmation bias. It reveals more about Rubios own shortcomings than it does Trumps behavior.
Rubios claim highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in politics. Lets hope that more evidence will surface to shed light on this and other allegations, and that we can move past selective memory and towards a more truthful political landscape. #politics #truth
Does anyone know if Rubio has tried to nap at a meeting before? I heard he once said hes never seen Trump fall asleep. Maybe he should try it sometimejust to see if its possible!
Rubios claim of never seeing Trump sleep in a meeting is laughable. Trumps notorious inability to stay focused is well-documented. Its time for Rubio to admit his own shortcomings and stop trying to one-up Trump.
Interesting observation! Could this reveal more about their relationship dynamics or perhaps highlight a personal trait? What do you think?
Interesting claim about Rubios memory. Do we have any concrete evidence to back it up or are we just talking selective memory?