Arlington, Virginia - President Donald Trump was recently caught seemingly napping while attending an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
On Friday, while attending the event at the Pentagon, the president repeatedly struggled to stay awake, and the right side of his mouth appeared to be drooping slightly.
As his administration officials and military officers gave speeches and a band played music, Trump was seen apparently dozing off, slumping in his chair, and his head falling to his chest.
The president did eventually give a speech, in which he attempted to link the wars that were launched after 9/11 to his ongoing war with Iran.
The wild moment comes as the 80-year-old has been facing heavy scrutiny about his health and mental state, though he insists he is the smartest and healthiest president to ever hold the office.
In recent months, he has been seen with bruising on his hand, giving incoherent speeches, and has been spotted falling asleep or with facial drooping at other events.
Trump chose to attend the event at the Pentagon instead of a similar event that same day at Ground Zero in New York City, where every living former president and their spouses attended.
The New York Times reported last month that the president made that decision after being told he wasn't allowed to give a speech, as there is a longstanding rule barring politicians from giving speeches at the memorial site in an effort to keep it nonpartisan and focused on the solemnity of the day.
Trump has aggressively denied the claim and has called for Maggie Haberman – the reporter who wrote the piece – to be fired.
How did Joe Biden handle the 9/11 event at Ground Zero?
Photos and videos of the president have gone viral on social media, with countless users mocking the president.
Many have pointed out that former President Joe Biden, whose age and health Trump has repeatedly mocked in the past, attended the Ground Zero event – and managed to stand for hours despite battling cancer at 83-years-old.
In a statement to The Independent, the White House insisted the president wasn't sleeping, but was instead "solemnly listening" while remembering the victims.