California Democratic Representative Ted Lieu caught Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a blatant lie and presented video evidence after Rubio testified to Congress that he'd "never seen" President Donald Trump "fall asleep" during a Cabinet meeting.
Trump has repeatedly had to cover for always falling asleep during meetings and events, and regularly rages against anyone who points out obvious signs of age-related decline. Last month, a White House account claimed he was simply "blinking" after Trump appeared to fall asleep during an event on maternal health in the Oval Office.
Months ago, Trump explained to New York Magazine that the reason why he's constantly photographed with his eyes closed is not because he's sleeping but because the meetings he attends are "boring as hell."
Trump said he has to "sit back and listen, and I move my hand so that people will know I'm listening" and that while he is "hearing every word," he nonetheless "can't wait to get out."
Lieu told Rubio that Rubio "has been in multiple meetings" where Trump has fallen asleep, showing a clip from one meeting in which Trump can clearly be seen dozing as Rubio remarks on agricultural production. When he said that Rubio's prior testimony that he has "never seen" Trump sleeping is "false," Rubio grew defensive.
Rubio 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, maybe not 12 hours, but at least 6. So he works. The other day, he was at the Oval Office until 12.30 a.m. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lieu replied that Rubio had "just lied to Congress" before showing "a video from a Cabinet meeting from last month where Donald Trump is sleeping while you're talking." He then aired footage from a May Cabinet meeting that appeared to show Trump nodding off beside Rubio as the secretary discussed the Ukraine war and the White House's self-described efforts to advance world peace.
Lieu remarked:
“You are literally talking about issues of war and peace, and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you. If Donald Trump cannot stay awake at these important meetings when the cameras are rolling, imagine what he's like when the cameras are not there."
"I'm going to ask you: Have you been at classified meetings where Donald Trump has fallen asleep or had trouble staying awake?"
Rubio flatly denied it:
"I've never been at any meeting [where Trump has fallen asleep] and [in] the thing you're showing me now, he's not falling asleep. I think it’s outrageous that I am before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, [being asked] questions about sleep. This is a joke."
Lieu called out Rubio for "lying to Congress again."
You can watch what happened in the video below.
Lieu then introduced what he described as another example of how foreign governments view Trump, arguing that the president is often the subject of ridicule abroad. He proceeded to play footage from a Fox News interview in which appeared to briefly nod off while discussing Iran.
Lieu then pressed Rubio again:
"Instead of holding North Korea-style cabinet meetings where everyone goes around the room kissing Donald Trump's ass, I'm going to ask you to come clean with the American people and the White House as well. There is something wrong with Donald Trump's health or cognitive abilities."
"There's a reason he keeps going to the hospital and they keep giving him cognitive tests. We have not seen the president in eight days. The American people deserve the truth. I yield back."
Rubio denied it once more—and pivoted to attacking former President Joe Biden, whom Trump likes to refer to as "Sleepy Joe," saying:
"I don't even know how to respond to that other than to tell you it's absurd and ridiculous. I can't believe we're in a Foreign Affairs Committee meeting in front of the House at an important time for foreign policy answering questions from someone who supposedly thinks they're a medical expert when he's not."
"The truth of the matter is we've had a cognitively impaired president in office a few years ago. That's a cognitively impaired president but I don't like to talk about that because it weakens America. This president that we have, this is a guy who literally doesn't sleep."
"He works day and night, long hours every single day. I don't know if you haven't seen him in eight days. I saw him yesterday ... I talk to him at all hours of the day and night. He works inhumane hours. I've been on foreign trips with the president that he doesn't sleep during the whole flight."
Rubio claimed that even while "everyone else is sleeping on the plane," Trump is "wandering the hallways looking for someone to talk to," insisting that Trump has "an incredible amount of energy."
While he acknowledged that Lieu "may not like" Trump's policies or decision-making, he was firm:
"I assure you, this is not a president who is cognitively impaired in any way, shape, or form, and is in fact incredibly active, much more so in many cases than many younger people who are around. Those are facts. I see it everyday."
"You're not going to agree because you have another narrative you want to push."
Lieu replied:
"I showed you three videos of him sleeping."
You can watch what happened in the video below.
People are not buying what Rubio is selling.
Remember: the Trump administration really seems to think we're all stupid enough not to believe our own eyes.
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