Former President Donald Trump hit back Thursday against reporters’ observations that he has occasionally fallen asleep during his hush money trial.
“Contrary to the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I don’t fall asleep during the Crooked D.A.’s Witch Hunt, especially not today,” the former reality television star said on his social media platform, Truth Social. “I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!”
Trump is accused of concealing a $130,000 hush money payment in 2016 to adult film star Stormy Daniels to cover up an affair. He’s facing 34 criminal counts in the case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
For the past three weeks, reporters in attendance have noted that Trump occasionally closes his eyes and appears to fall asleep.
The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reported on April 15, the first day of the trial, that Trump “appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest.”
Similar reports have come out since the trial’s start. He’s even been nicknamed “Sleepy Don” by Kate Bedingfield, former communications director to Biden, a clapback to Trump’s “Sleepy Joe” moniker.
A possible source of his alleged sleepiness? According to former Trump strategist David Urban, it could be a lack of Diet Coke during courtroom hours.
“He’s trying to make light of the situation a little bit and say, look, I’m not sleeping — although, I have to say, sitting there for hours and hours and hours without a Diet Coke, it’s probably killing him,” Urban said, according to Raw Story.
Trump is notorious for drinking around 12 Diet Cokes per day, which would equate to about four cups of coffee, according to Vanity Fair.
“He’s usually, I’m sure, very caffeinated during the day,” said Urban. “I’m sure he’s missing probably about ten [Diet Cokes] a day. It’s probably rough.”
Alina Habba told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum at the start of the trial in April that it was “unlikely” the former president had fallen asleep, saying he’s been “incredibly focused.”
“If anything, he’s probably brutally bored,” she said.
On Wednesday, Trump went to Truth Social in an attempt to flip the narrative back onto President Joe Biden.
“Where’s SLEEPY JOE? He’s SLEEPING, that’s where!!!”