'He's Meditating': Fox News' Jesse Watters Denies Reports of Trump Sleeping in Court
May 16 2024, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Fox News host Jesse Watters has denied the reports that Donald Trump has repeatedly dozed off and fallen asleep in court during the ongoing high-profile hush money trial in New York, RadarOnline.com has learned.
During an appearance on The Five, Watters insisted that Trump has been "meditating," not sleeping, when he closes his eyes in the courtroom.
"And the guy that said the guy’s sleeping. He’s meditating, Greg," Watters claimed. "He’s in a meditative state, and when you’re defensive about something, you avoid something. Trump's not defensive of being old and tired. He can shut his eyes and not feel bad about it like Sleepy Joe."
Watters' defense echoes Trump's own. "Contrary to the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I don’t fall asleep during the Crooked D.A.’s Witch Hunt, especially not today," the embattled former president wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier this month. "I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!"
Multiple reporters covering the trial have noted that Trump often refers to President Joe Biden as "Sleepy Joe" and has appeared to doze off in court several times. The New York Times' Maggie Habermann told CNN, "He appeared to be asleep ... He didn’t pay attention to a note his lawyer passed him. His jaw kept falling on his chest, and his mouth kept going slack."
Trump's campaign has denied the reports, calling them "100% Fake News coming from ‘journalists’ who weren’t even in the courtroom." Spokesperson Steven Cheung added, "None of these sources know what the h--- they’re talking about and clearly have no access to any type of factual information. These are the types of losers who will try to peddle fantasy as fact because they live miserable existences."
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Still, many commentators have poked fun at Trump's alleged in-court naps. During a private fundraiser on Friday, Biden thanked his donors "for the warm welcome," before adding, "But please keep it down because Donald Trump is sleeping. 'Sleepy Don.'"
Trump's own niece Mary Trump, who has long been an outspoken critic of her uncle, also mocked the former president. "I'm a little sleepy," Mary joked during an appearance on SiriusXM's The Dean Obeidallah Show last month. "I'm a little worried that narcolepsy runs in the family, but hopefully not."