X posts
X posts
stated on July 15, 2024 in a video:

Video shows Donald Trump sleeping at the Republican National Convention’s first night.

False

Video shows Donald Trump’s eyes closed in prayer, not sleeping

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu
July 17, 2024

If your time is short

  • Longer video footage from the event shows that former President Donald Trump closed his eyes during a prayer.
See the sources for this fact-check

Does a viral video show former President Donald Trump asleep at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee? Some social media posts claim to.

“Trump fell asleep at the RNC,” a July 15 X video’s caption said. “On the first night. He just got there,” it added. Another X user posted the same 21-second video clip with the caption: “Trump is literally asleep at the RNC event.”

These claims are misleading. Although they show the former president’s eyes closed at the RNC, longer video footage from the event shows Trump’s eyes were closed during a prayer said by ​​James Roemke, a Lutheran pastor in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Many Christians close their eyes during prayer, and Trump was not the only one who did so during Roemke’s prayer. Video shows many other attendees with their heads bowed and eyes closed during the prayer.

After Roemke concluded, Harmeet Dhillon, former chair of the California Republican Party, was invited to the stage. Dhillon, who is Sikh, said the Ardas, a prayer for protection in Sikhism, and attendees had their eyes closed then, too.

We rate the claim that this video shows Trump sleeping at the RNC’s first night False.

Our Sources

X post, archived link, July 15, 2024

X post, archived link, July 15, 2024

The Associated Press, Day 1 at RNC, including Trump arrival (FULL STREAM), July 15, 2024

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, This Wisconsin pastor gave one heck of a Donald Trump impression at the RNC in Milwaukee Monday, July 15, 2024

Mint, Indian-American Republican Harmeet Dhillon recites ’Ardas’, thanks God for protecting Donald Trump’s life, July 16, 2024

Messiah Lutheran Church, Pastor James A. Roemke, accessed July 16, 2024