President Donald Trump made headlines during his first foreign trip of his second term after being caught with his eyes shut during a high-profile meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday, May 13.
The viral moment unfolded during a special ceremony at the Saudi royal court, held in Trump’s honor. In video clips widely shared on social media, the president appears to momentarily close his eyes at one point, even jerking himself awake. The footage sparked an immediate online reaction, with users mocking the president for seeming to doze off during an event of global significance.
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Despite the criticism, the White House strongly denied that Trump was disengaged. Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a firm rebuttal, stating, “It’s clear that President Trump was fully engaged and listening intently as he finalized historic deals on his return to Saudi Arabia.”
Cheung added, “The Daily Beast should perk up and stop slacking instead of taking their cues from liberal liars who have shown a history of deceiving the American people.” The meeting wasn’t merely ceremonial. It produced a significant diplomatic outcome: more than a dozen agreements between the United States and Saudi Arabia were signed, with a focus on economic, military, and cultural collaboration.
Among the most notable deals was a $142 billion arms agreement, which the White House has hailed as the “largest defense sales agreement in history,” according to The Guardian. Trump’s trip, aimed at advancing U.S. business interests, also led to promises of massive Saudi investment in the American economy.
During a luncheon with Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed pledged a staggering $600 billion in future investments in the U.S., including $20 billion for artificial intelligence data centers, $14.2 billion in gas turbines and energy equipment, nearly $5 billion in Boeing aircraft, and other key infrastructure and technology deals.
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Trump was welcomed to Riyadh with full honors. His arrival was marked by a display of six Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s escorting Air Force One into the capital. Still, the image of Trump with his eyes closed during a pivotal diplomatic moment became a focal point of social media commentary.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Sleepy Don can barely keep his eyes open while representing the United States in Saudi Arabia. If this were President Biden, there would be nonstop coverage of his cognitive condition.” Another simply added, “Rebooting bro.” While the internet mocked, the administration pointed to the deals made as proof of a productive and engaged visit.
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