California Democrat Rep.Ted Lieu has demanded that the White House address Donald Trump's health after the president appeared to close his eyes for an extended period during Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The incident drew swift reaction from Democrats and social media, arriving just days after Lieu had already confronted Secretary of State Marco Rubio over similar footage in a congressional hearing.
In a statement, Lieu said that 'the president is not well.' He added that Trump 'has tremendous difficulty staying awake on the job' and 'has repeatedly fallen asleep at Cabinet meetings, at White House events, at a Memorial Day ceremony, and most recently at a very loud NBA game last night.' He also called on the White House to explain why Trump 'keeps going to the hospital and taking cognitive tests.'
Trump Booed at MSG as Footage Sparks Health Questions
Trump attended Game 3 of the Knicks versus Spurs NBA Finals as a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan, becoming the first sitting US president to attend an NBA Finals game. He was met with loud boos during the national anthem after his arrival had already caused hours of traffic disruption across midtown Manhattan, with roads closed and local watch parties cancelled due to security requirements.
Almost two hours into the match, footage began circulating on X showing Trump in his suite with his eyes closed, hands clasped in front of him, while those around him reacted to play on the court below. His eyes partially opened before closing again briefly. The San Antonio Spurs won 115-111, cutting the Knicks' series lead to 2-1.
Rubio Confronted in Congress Days Earlier
The NBA Finals incident followed a tense exchange in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 June, when Lieu played a series of video clips for Rubio during a hearing. One showed Trump appearing to doze off during a December Cabinet briefing. A second clip, recorded more recently, showed Trump with his eyes closed while Rubio himself was speaking about matters of war and peace. A third came from a French news broadcast showing Trump with his eyes closed at a Memorial Day ceremony.
Rubio responded by saying 'I've never seen him fall asleep. On the contrary, the guy doesn't sleep,' adding that Trump contacts him regularly in the early hours of the morning. Lieu pushed back, telling Rubio directly, 'You are literally talking about issues of war and peace and Donald Trump is sleeping right next to you.' Rubio dismissed the line of questioning as 'absurd and ridiculous.'
Lieu closed his remarks by stating, 'There's something wrong with Donald Trump's health or cognitive abilities. There's a reason he keeps going to the hospital and they keep giving him cognitive tests. We have not seen the president in eight days. The American people deserve the truth.'
The White House Has Pushed Back
Trump has consistently denied ever falling asleep at official events. Speaking in January, he addressed footage from a December Cabinet meeting, saying 'it was a little bit on the boring side' and insisting 'I didn't sleep. I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell out of there.'
Lieu: The president is not well. He has tremendous difficulty staying awake on the job. He has repeatedly fallen asleep at Cabinet meetings, at White House events, at a Memorial Day ceremony, and most recently at a very loud NBA game last night.
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 9, 2026
The White House needs to explain… pic.twitter.com/aEnOEaSjQr
Dr Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, described Trump's repeated hospital visits as 'routine' during a press briefing. When pressed on why a president described as being in 'perfect health' had made four medical visits since being sworn in, Oz said 'I think he likes the results.' Trump, who turns 80 on 14 June, is the oldest person ever to serve as US president.
Trump has also claimed he scored 30 out of 30 on a recent cognitive test, calling it proof of 'extreme intelligence.' According to a Politifact analysis, however, the test in question was likely the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which screens for signs of cognitive impairment and is not designed as a measure of intelligence.
With Trump turning 80 on 14 June, questions over presidential health disclosure have moved well beyond partisan point-scoring. During the 3 June hearing, Lieu argued that Trump's 'inability to stay awake on the job has caused other countries to perceive him differently, they mock him, they see he is weak and he is feeble.' The growing volume of footage, combined with the White House's continued reluctance to provide detailed medical records, means the issue is unlikely to fade ahead of an already turbulent political season.
