US President Donald Trump appeared to fall asleep at his desk in the Oval Office during a White House announcement in Washington.
Footage from the event showed the president sitting behind his desk with his eyes closed and his head leaning downwards as other officials were speaking.
The incident occurred shortly after Trump announced a new 15 billion dollar investment project for the construction of a large steel production facility in Iowa.
The Oval Office, situated in the West Wing of the White House, is the primary workplace of the American president and regularly hosts formal signing ceremonies and executive announcements.
The White House serves as both the residence and official administrative headquarters of the president of the United States.
Remarks about Joe Biden
During the White House event, Trump referred to his predecessor, Joe Biden, once again using the nickname Sleepy Joe to describe the former president.
Trump claimed that the 15 billion dollar steel investment project would not have been achieved under the previous administration, attributing the new industrial deal to the economic policies of his own government.
Joe Biden served as the 46th president of the United States, and Trump has frequently targeted him during speeches and public appearances.
Mesabi Metallics steel facility
The planned manufacturing plant in Iowa will be constructed by Mesabi Metallics, an iron ore processing and mining company operating in North America.
According to official announcements made during the ceremony, the new steel plant is scheduled to begin production in 2030.
The investment is expected to create approximately 1,750 permanent jobs in Iowa, a Midwestern state with a strong economic foundation in manufacturing and agriculture.
Social media reaction and reporting
Shortly after Trump concluded his remarks and handed the floor to other officials, video cameras recorded the president sitting back in his Oval Office chair.
The cameras captured Trump with his eyes closed and his head tilting downwards, prompting a wave of intense commentary across online social media platforms.
Critics of the president quickly claimed that he had fallen asleep during the middle of the official White House proceeding.
However, the recorded video clip shows only that particular physical posture and does not establish what was occurring in the room at that exact moment.
The incident received widespread coverage from both American and international news organisations following the circulation of the video online.
