Former President Donald Trump Appears to Struggle to Stay Awake in Trial
Former President Trump appears disinterested in his historic criminal trial, earning the nickname "Sleepy Don" as he struggled to stay awake.
As the world's eyes focus on Donald Trump's historic criminal trial in New York, the former president appears uninterested in the proceedings. Jury selection began on Monday for the first-ever criminal trial of a sitting or former president. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Despite the historic nature of the trial, reports from the courtroom suggest that Trump appeared to have difficulty staying awake. According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Trump's head kept dropping and he may have even fallen asleep during the proceedings. This led to the creation of a new nickname for the former president - "Sleepy Don."
Social Media Reactions
The observation quickly made its way to social media, where the moniker "Sleepy Don" became a trending topic. Speculations and jokes surfaced, with some suggesting that Trump's legal team had sedated him, while others attributed it to exhaustion from his post-trial activities. The nickname "DonSnorleone" and "The Nodfather" also gained popularity, making references to mafia figures. Social media users joined in the jest, questioning his ability to handle the trial and comparing him to "Sleepy Joe," a nickname he previously used for his rival, Joe Biden.
The irony of the situation is not lost, as Trump had previously labeled his 2024 rival, Joe Biden, as “Sleepy Joe.” However, now the former president finds himself with a drowsy label of his own, in contrast to the energetic image he tried to portray of his opponent.
Charges Against Trump
Trump is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election to adult film star Stormy Daniels. She alleges an affair with Trump in 2006, just a year after his marriage to Melania. The former president has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While some may find it surprising, reporter Maggie Haberman noted that Trump's behavior in the courtroom is not entirely unexpected. She recalled similar instances during other trials, where he appeared to be very still and possibly sleeping, such as during the E Jean Carroll trial.
While falling asleep during court proceedings is not uncommon, the intensity of this trial makes Trump's behavior notable. The Biden-Harris campaign even retweeted the clip of Haberman discussing Trump's courtroom demeanor on CNN.
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