Former President Donald Trump has been mocked for appearing to fall asleep on multiple occasions during his Manhattan trial—and it appears that even the eagerly awaited testimony of Michael Cohen failed to keep him awake.
A number of journalists reported that Trump appeared to have his eyes closed on several occasions while his former fixer and personal attorney took the stand Monday and Tuesday.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to a $130,000 payment made to the adult film actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty and has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels.
On X, formerly Twitter, Ron Filipkowski, a frequent Trump critic, called the former president "Don Snoreleone," while another user dubbed him "the Nodfather."
One meme referenced Monty Python's "dead parrot" sketch, with Trump's face edited onto the parrot's body and a speech bubble saying: "He's NOT asleep. He's just resting."
A mock courtroom sketch also circulated on social media, showing Trump dozing in a chair with his head back and mouth open.
The Biden campaign also ridiculed Trump, with the Biden-Harris HQ account writing on X, "A feeble Donald Trump once again appears to fall asleep in court."
TV host Seth Meyers also referenced the former president's reported drowsiness on "Late Night With Seth Meyers."
"Former President Trump appeared to fall asleep yesterday during Michael Cohen's testimony for a full half hour. Again?" the comedian said. "You know, I was excited for this trial, but it seems like the only thing we're accomplishing is making sure Trump is well rested before the election."
In a post on X, Trump ally Senator J.D. Vance pushed back against criticisms of Trump's supposed sleepiness: "It's an absurd narrative. I'm 39 years old and I've been here for 26 minutes and I'm about to fall asleep."
Other users suggested Trump wasn't asleep but was deliberately keeping his eyes closed in an act of defiance.
"I don't know whether he's sleeping or not, but what was taking me aback was that it was defiance of the process," NBC News reporter Vaughn Hillyard said.
"There's a gag order placed on him. He can't go and stand up and speak out in his own defense in that courtroom unless he takes the stand himself. For him, keeping his eyes shut—almost in a way of like disregarding it, 'I don't care about these proceedings'—with the jury right there, was his act of defiance," Hillyard continued.
Trump has previously denied falling asleep in the courtroom.
"Contrary to the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I don't fall asleep during the Crooked D.A.'s Witch Hunt, especially not today," he wrote on Truth Social on May 2. "I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!"
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