By Sabiu Abdullahi
US President Donald Trump has dismissed claims that he fell asleep during a cabinet meeting, saying he only closed his eyes because the session was dull.
The 79-year-old leader faced renewed scrutiny over his health after video footage from a December cabinet meeting appeared to show him dozing off. The incident sparked online debate, especially because such meetings are often broadcast live and tend to last for hours.
Cabinet meetings under Mr Trump are known for their length. One session in August reportedly ran for more than three hours. The meeting held on Thursday, however, ended after one hour and 20 minutes.
During the gathering, Mr Trump departed from the usual practice where cabinet members take turns praising the president and outlining progress in their ministries. After delivering an opening speech that lasted about 25 minutes, he limited the number of officials allowed to speak.
“We are going to ask a couple of people to say a few words, and we’re not going to go through the whole table,” he said.
He referred to criticism from a previous press conference, stating: “Because the last time we had a press conference, it lasted for three hours, and some people said ‘he closed his eyes.’”
Mr Trump then explained his action, saying: “Look, it got pretty boring. I love these people, but there’s a lot of people.” He added: “But I didn’t sleep. I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell out of here.”
The president has repeatedly rejected suggestions that his age affects his performance. In an interview with New York Magazine published on Monday, he again defended his health, blaming what he described as “boring as hell” cabinet meetings for appearing sleepy.
In the interview, Mr Trump said he is in “perfect health” and feels “the same as [he] did 40 years ago”. A senior staff member quoted in the report claimed that the president’s decision to stop dyeing his hair was his “only concession to age”.
Attention also turned to those who were not invited to speak during Thursday’s meeting. Mr Trump did not call on Kristi Noem, the US homeland security secretary, despite her presence in the room.
Ms Noem is facing heavy criticism over the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers following recent deadly incidents in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was killed during a protest on Saturday. Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was killed on January 7 during a confrontation with officers carrying out immigration raids.
Amid rising tension, Mr Trump has reshuffled his immigration leadership. He sidelined Ms Noem and dismissed Gregory Bovino, the head of border control.
Other senior officials also did not speak during the session, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, although the president praised both men.
In a move that surprised reporters, Mr Trump declined to take questions at the end of the meeting. As a result, he avoided direct queries about his confidence in Ms Noem and the ongoing controversy surrounding immigration enforcement.