‘Sleepy Don’: Trump Falls Asleep (Four Times!) at Hush Money Trial

In this April 15, 2024, courtroom photo, Trump is shown looking down, not sleeping — but you can use your imagination. Photo: Jabin Botsford-Pool/Getty Images

“Sleepy Joe” was always a low-energy Trump nickname. Donald Trump’s derisive name for Joe Biden never had the zing of “Crooked Hillary” or “Liddle Marco,” and it was too similar to other Trump nicknames like “Sleepin’ Bob” Casey and “Sleepy Eyes” Chuck Todd. Now there’s a new problem with it that no one anticipated: It’s easy to turn it back on “Sleepy Don” when he nods off — repeatedly! — during a criminal trial over hush-money payments he allegedly made to cover up an affair with a porn star.

During day one of Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan — which will determine whether he broke the law by paying off Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election, then disguising the payments — the former president reportedly fell asleep in the courtroom. Though Trump was reportedly furious that journalists caught him sleeping in court that didn’t keep him from nodding off repeatedly as the trial continued.

Here’s a running list of Trump’s courtroom naps.

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Episode I: The Power Nap Menace

Maggie Haberman wrote on the New York Times’ trial liveblog on April 15:

Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack.

Haberman said Trump was roused a short time later:

Trump has apparently jolted back awake, noticing the notes his lawyer passed him several minutes ago.

Stewart Bishop, a reporter for Law360 who was in the courtroom, made the same observation:

Courthouse News reporter Erik Uebelacker, who was watching from the overflow room, agreed:

In an interview during a break, Haberman told CNN’s Jake Tapper that Trump looked sleepy during previous court appearances but this incident was worse:

As he was exiting court, Trump reported glared at Haberman, who broke the news about his courtroom nap.

Later that evening, Haberman confirmed on CNN that Trump gave her a “pretty specific stare” as he walked out:

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Episode II: Attack of the Catnap

Perhaps Trump was embarrassed about being caught sleeping on day one of his trial. But incredibly, it wasn’t enough to keep him from dozing off during the proceedings the following morning.

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Episode III: Revenge of the Siesta

On April 19 Maggie Haberman spotted Trump’s third courtroom nap:

Trump appears to have fallen asleep in court again. It happened several times just now. His eyes were closed for extended periods and his head dropped down twice.

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Episode IV: A New Hibernation

MSNBC’s Kyle Griffin caught Sleepy Don in the act for a fourth time on April 30:

While there are sketch artists present and there were some photos taken of Trump at the beginning of each day’s proceedings, there is no audio or video broadcast of the trial. So we may never see photographic evidence of Trump’s inability to keep his eyes open in court (which, in addition to being funny, is notable since he keeps insisting he’s far more spry than Biden, though they’re about the same age). It’s probably just as well; knowing Trump, he’d frame the “Sleepy Don” shot as a defiant statement against “political persecution” and start selling it on T-shirts.

This post has been updated throughout.