Newly released video footage captures the instance when President Donald Trump dozed off in the Oval Office while introducing a policy that will impact millions of children. The 79-year-old leader was observed shutting his eyes and even seeming to snore during a signing event in the Oval Office on the previous day.
During the ceremony, Trump signed a bill that permits school cafeterias to offer whole and 2% milk, joined by legislators, dairy farmers, and their children at the White House. However, as officials began discussing the purported benefits of higher-fat milk, the president took a moment to rest his eyes, keeping them closed for approximately 17 seconds. He only reopened them when US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins raised her voice.
Before signing the bill, Trump expressed, “Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, whole milk is a great thing,” as the legislation reversed restrictions on higher-fat milk options put in place during the Obama administration. Earlier in the week, the Agriculture Department shared a social media post featuring Trump with a glass of milk sporting a “milk mustache,” advocating for whole milk consumption.
The new law also allows schools to serve nondairy milk that meets milk’s nutritional criteria and mandates schools to offer a nondairy milk alternative if students present a note from their parents citing dietary restrictions. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a proponent of including whole milk in school menus, hailed the legislation as a much-needed improvement to school nutrition policies.
These changes will impact meals served to approximately 30 million students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program. Trump, who has faced accusations of falling asleep during meetings, previously defended himself by stating that he was merely resting his eyes or blinking, as reported in the Wall Street Journal.
The president’s health has come under scrutiny recently, with reports of him undergoing various tests, including cognitive assessments. Additionally, there have been observations of Trump using makeup to conceal dark bruises on his hands, which the White House Press Secretary attributed to his frequent handshakes and daily aspirin regimen, known to contribute to bruising tendencies.