During a recent trip to Memphis, President Donald Trump struggled to stay awake while officials lavished him with praise.
He repeatedly closed his eyes and tilted his head as he fought to stay alert.
Trump is fighting hard against wokeness during this event in Memphis pic.twitter.com/qdYoe9Skce
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2026
Supporters took turns giving glowing compliments.
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“Before President Trump, our nation was heading for constant decline,” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“I’m living the wildest dream you could imagine, sir. It’s all thanks to you,” added FBI Director Kash Patel.
The gathering took place in a hangar at the Memphis Air National Guard Base. Trump started by admiring the sound system. “Wow, this is a great setup. Sounds like the best opera hall in the world. We should come back here more often,” he said.
The focus of the visit was public safety. Trump and local officials pointed to crime numbers they say show improvement in Memphis. Authorities reported more than 7,000 arrests and about 1,100 illegal firearms seized since federal agents and the Memphis Safe Task Force began working more closely with local police. That, they said, helped contribute to a reported 43% drop in overall crime in Memphis over the past year.
Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters he had instructed the Pentagon to postpone strikes against Iranian power plants for five days. “They want peace. They’ve agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
President Trump on Iran:
“We are now having really good discussions. They started last night, a little bit the night before that.
I think they are very good. They want peace. They have agreed that they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know.” pic.twitter.com/lQPfm9IpB8
— Zaid Ahmd 🇬🇧 (@realzaidzayn) March 24, 2026
Trump has appeared sleepy in public before. Last year, he was filmed dozing off during a lengthy Cabinet meeting while Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon spoke.
Despite that, Trump and his doctors insist he is in “excellent” health. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal last year, he said, “It’s very relaxing to me,” referring to closing his eyes briefly.
The president also spoke about lighter topics, including his love for Elvis Presley and his planned visit to Graceland. “I never met Elvis. I met ‘em all – I met Sinatra, I met all over them, but I never met Elvis. Sometimes I feel I should tell a little fib and say I knew him well. I love Elvis,” he said.
Trump says he’s visiting Graceland,
“I love Elvis. I never met Elvis…I met ’em all. I met Sinatra…I never met Elvis. Sometimes, I feel I should tell a little fib and say I knew him well…but I’m going to go see Graceland after this.”pic.twitter.com/kYyEztFeKU
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) March 23, 2026
Gas prices and inflation remain high, and Americans are feeling the pinch. Many saw the Memphis footage as a symbol of a president who appears out of touch or distracted during critical times.
Featured image via X screengrab
