‘I Thought the Camera Was Frozen’: Gavin Newsom’s Savage Takedown of Trump ‘Nodding Off’ Mid-Sentence Has Viewers Saying He’s Officially Lost It
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is turning up the heat on Donald Trump again — and his latest jab has fans convinced he was mocking the former president’s dazed, half-awake look.
Footage of the roundtable featured the 79-year-old struggling to keep his eyes open during a high-stakes White House roundtable with MAGA influencers, and Newsom couldn’t resist adding his two cents on the matter — especially due to Trump’s repeated insults about former president Joe Biden being “Sleepy Joe.”
Newsom’s press office account shared a post on X from journalist Aaron Rupar that showed Trump repeatedly closing his eyes at the roundtable and his mouth “starts drooping as he struggles to stay awake during this antifa roundtable.”
The California governor’s team shared the post in the president’s notorious all-caps format with the caption, “DOZY DON IS BACK! TOO MUCH ‘TYLENOL??’”
“He looks like he needs a nap (weak). I remember when presidents represented strength,” wrote another person.
— Eric Draven
(@Eric_Draven_BE) October 8, 2025
Newsom piled on himself shortly after in a separate post, seemingly unable to resist joining his team after watching the viral clip of Trump looking dazed and disoriented during the meeting.
“Honestly thought this was a still image when I first started watching,” he wrote on X.
“I thought the camera was frozen or it was a Trump mannequin,” wrote another person who agreed with his sentiment.
A few individuals encouraged him to “hang it on your wall.” Meanwhile, others thought it was hilarious that Trump had little to no consideration for other leaders in the room, as one said, “Trump finds his own supporters boring. Says a lot.”
Fans could not get enough of Newsom’s trolling as they reshared a fan-made collage of Trump seemingly asleep at several different events,” joking, “Cankles can’t stay awake.”
It’s not the first time Trump’s caught flak for looking like he dozed off mid-meeting. Over the past few years, clips have surfaced of him appearing to nod off at rallies, in courtrooms, and even during his own press briefings. Cameras once caught him catching some zzz’s at the Republican National Convention in July 2024.
Each time, the internet delivers a new nickname — from “Dozy Don” and “Sleepy Don” to “Don Snoreleone” — proving that his critics never sleep, even if he might.
Newsom and his team have clearly seized every opportunity to clown, mock or roast the president — and they’re not letting up anytime soon. They use different nicknames in public barbs to call out Trump’s apparent fatigue, drowsiness, and sometimes disengaged demeanor in high-profile moments, often blending humor with pointed critique.
One notable example came in August 2025, when Newsom tweeted the nickname in response to a viral escalator incident, poking fun at how Trump appeared awkward, distracted, or unsteady on camera.
The internet loves every second of the digital feud between Trump and Newsom, as both men trade insults and viral moments. Yet, insiders warn that Trump will likely fire back with his own brand of theatrics, and when he does, things could escalate into another headline-grabbing spectacle. For now, fans are left watching the digital sparring ring, popcorn in hand, wondering who will land the next move.