During President Donald Trump's latest cabinet meeting on December 2 at the White House, a series of moments caught the public's eye.
None more so than an embarrassing typo and a brief moment of apparent drowsiness from the President.
While the meeting covered several pressing issues, it was these offhand details that became the focal point of online chatter.
A Typo that Stole the Spotlight
During the meeting, a moment emerged when attendees - and later, social media users - spotted an embarrassing mistake on Pete Hegseth’s nameplate.
The nameplate, which was displayed during the meeting, listed Hegseth’s title as ‘SSECRETARY OF WAR’, a rather unfortunate typo that immediately went viral online.
While some online commentators made jokes about the ‘SS’ prefix potentially alluding to Nazi symbolism, this theory seemed far-fetched.
It’s far more likely that the mistake was simply a result of human error when preparing the nameplates for the meeting, which was broadcast live.
An unfortunate typo led to stronger theories. Credit: Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A Long Meeting with Controversial Topics
The cabinet meeting, which lasted for two hours and 17 minutes, covered a range of topics. Among the discussions were Trump’s continued efforts to combat drug trafficking into the U.S., his health concerns, and his controversial stance on Somali migrants.
But as the meeting unfolded, it was the President’s demeanor that drew the most attention. At one point, viewers noticed that Trump appeared to nod off during the meeting, leading to a surge of comments across social media.
Some dubbed him ‘Dozy Don’, while others referred to him as ‘Commander in Sleep’.
In response to the growing online criticism, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly came to the President’s defense.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Leavitt insisted: "President Trump was listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting."
This latest accusation of Trump dozing off during a meeting is not an isolated incident. In fact, it marks the third time in recent weeks that the President has been accused of napping during official engagements.
Trump appeared to fall asleep in the meeting. Credit: Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Trump Takes Aim at Journalists
The cabinet meeting, which lasted for over two hours, kicked off with Trump taking another jab at the media. Before the potential dozing incident, the President criticized journalists for their persistent questions about his health, per CNN.
In his typical sarcastic manner, he remarked: "You always find something new, like, 'Is he in good health?'"
He then quipped: “Biden was great,” referring to President Joe Biden’s public appearances.
Trump continued to defend his ability to answer questions, claiming: "I sit here and do four news conferences a day. I ask questions from very intelligent lunatics. You people. I give the right answers. There's never a scandal. There's never a problem. I give you answers and solve your little problems.”
He didn’t hold back when discussing the contrast between his own press engagement and that of Biden, saying: “You go back, and you can't find anything, but you do stories about Biden was in wonderful health. The guy couldn’t do a news conference for eight months."
Trump also voiced frustration over what he viewed as unfair scrutiny when he missed just a single news conference, stating: “If I go one day, I had one day where I didn’t do a news conference. 'There's something wrong with the President.'"