Asleep on the job? Rubio says Trump didn't doze off in public

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's appearance before a congressional committee on June 3 was punctuated by a tense exchange over whether President Donald Trump has dozed off during important business.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, played multiple video clips of Trump during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting where Rubio was testifying.

“You will see that he is sleeping while you are talking,” Lieu told Rubio before playing a clip from a December Cabinet meeting of the president with his eyes closed, his head nodding, while Rubio spoke next to him.

Rubio disputed that Trump had nodded off.

“That’s false,” he said. “I’ve never seen him fall asleep. On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep. Which is a big problem, because he calls me at 2 in the morning, he calls me at 5 in the morning, and you know, I like to sleep a little bit.”

Lieu showed another clip of Rubio speaking next to Trump, who had his eyes closed. The congressman said the clip was from a Cabinet meeting last month, but it was from the same December Cabinet meeting.

“You are literally talking about issues of war and peace and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you,” Lieu said.

Rubio said he’d never been at a meeting where Trump fell asleep and called the line of questioning “outrageous,” but Lieu said there are concerns about Trump’s fitness.

“Donald Trump’s inability to stay awake on the job shows that there’s something very wrong with his health and cognitive abilities,” Lieu said.

Questions about Trump's health as he approaches 80

The scrutiny around whether Trump has dozed off in public, which he denies, has added to questions about his health as he approaches his 80th birthday this month. He has experienced bruising on his hands, swelling in his lower legs and a rash on his neck.

Trump’s leg swelling is caused by chronic venous insufficiency, which his doctor said is a benign and common condition, especially among people over 70. A recent doctor’s report attributed Trump’s bruised hands to his consumption of aspirin, a blood thinner, and frequent handshaking.

Trump underwent a physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last month, his fourth medical checkup in 13 months. The results show he is close to being clinically obese. His doctor recommended exercise and weight loss, while still proclaiming his “cognitive and physical performance are excellent.”

“He is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” wrote Capt. Sean Barbabella, the White House physician.

Trump said after the December Cabinet meeting that he closed his eyes because it went on for hours, was “boring,” and he “wanted to get the hell out of here.” 

“I didn’t sleep, I just closed them,” Trump said at the next meeting of Cabinet officials, adding: “I don’t sleep much.”

This story has been updated.