Former President Joe Biden closed his eyes for several seconds at President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, sparking some online to believe he dozed off during the ceremony.
Why It Matters
During Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign, his mental and physical fitness was called into question, as was Trump’s to a lesser extent. After a dismal debate performance against Trump last summer, in which Biden at times gave incoherent answers to the moderators’ questions, he dropped out of the race and endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost the Democratic bid for president to Trump, a Republican. Trump has criticized Biden repeatedly, calling him “sleepy Joe.”
What To Know
Senator Deb Fischer, a Nebraska Republican and member of the Inaugural Ceremonies Committee, was giving a speech before Trump was sworn into office when Biden, who was sitting next to the podium facing the crowd of attendees in the Capitol rotunda, was caught on video with his eyes closed.
It’s unclear if Biden actually fell asleep as he only closed his eyes for roughly 20 seconds. But people speculated online whether he dozed off during the event.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attend the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. Biden closed his eyes for several seconds at Trump’s inauguration on Monday, sparking some online to believe he dozed off during the ceremony.
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Saul Loeb – Pool/Getty Images
Alex Jones, a pro-Trump conservative political commentator who has spread misinformation in the past, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: “Biden Caught Sleeping At Inauguration. Sleepy Joe Rears His Head For One Last Time.”
Another Trump supporter, Jim Hanson, who is the president of “information warfare firm” WorldStrat, wrote on X: “BIDEN HAS ALREADY DOZED OFF! Thank God we are minutes away from our country’s rescue.”
-Arynne Wexler, conservative commentator and Trump supporter, wrote on X: “Is Joe Biden sleeping through inauguration?”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said during his inaugural address on Monday: “We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future’s ours and our golden age has just begun.”
President Joe Biden on X on Monday wrote: “It has been the honor of our lifetimes to serve you, the American people.”
What Happens Next
Trump is expected to sign nearly 100 executive orders implementing his new agenda on Monday. These orders include shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border, ending the Russia-Ukraine war, reversing Biden-era climate policies and pardoning January 6 prisoners.
He also plans to issue executive orders renaming two prominent natural features on his first day as president. The Gulf of Mexico will be renamed the Gulf of America, while Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America, will revert to its previous federal name, Mount McKinley.
