Content Advisory: This article discusses cognitive decline concerns, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia-related symptoms, public health speculation, and political criticism. Reader discretion is advised.
Donald Trump’s health became a flashpoint on Fox News after a panel discussion about Joe Biden took an unexpected turn.
During a segment on ‘The Five’, co-host Jessica Tarlov shifted the conversation from former President Biden’s 2024 debate struggles to Trump’s own recent public behavior.
The moment quickly turned tense after Tarlov raised concerns about Trump appearing to fall asleep at public events and meetings.
“Moving past having to talk about sundowning, at least for Joe Biden, we can talk about it for Trump,” Tarlov said. She then added, “He falls asleep all the time.” That was enough for Greg Gutfeld to cut in. “Stop it,” he said.
Fox Hosts Clash Over Trump Health Claims
Tarlov did not back down. “He falls asleep all the time, do not laugh,” she said as the panel reacted.
Gutfeld pushed back harder, pointing out that “sundowning” is not a casual insult. “You’re calling sundowning? That is rich,” he said. “People know what that means; that is a symptom of Alzheimer’s, just to be clear.”
Tarlov then softened her point, saying she was not a doctor. “Just to be clear, I’m not that kind of doctor, and Jill Biden isn’t that kind of doctor, either,” she said.
The exchange came after Dr. Jill Biden said she feared Joe Biden might have been having a stroke during his widely criticized 2024 debate performance. Biden later said he was in good health, but Jill admitted his confused answers “scared me to death.”
What Is Sundowning?
Sundowning is commonly associated with dementia. It refers to confusion that appears or worsens later in the day, often between late afternoon and night. Symptoms may grow stronger as lighting changes and shadows deepen, sometimes causing people to misread their surroundings and become anxious or disoriented.
The term is often linked to mid-stage or advanced dementia, which is why Gutfeld objected to using it casually in a political debate.
Still, Trump’s critics have continued pointing to moments where he appeared tired, kept his eyes closed for long stretches, or seemed to doze during high-profile events.
Trump Defends His Health
Trump, 79, recently said everything checked out “PERFECTLY” after what he described as a “6 month physical.” The White House has not yet released a detailed written medical report from his doctors.
Trump has also pushed back on claims that he falls asleep in public. “Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking,” he said, arguing that critics use still images to make it look worse than it is. He also described closing his eyes as relaxing.
Online, the debate was harsher. One commenter argued that healthy people do not fall asleep so often during important meetings. Another compared Trump’s public fatigue to an exhausted worker dozing in a chair.
For Trump’s defenders, the criticism is another media pile-on. For his critics, it is a legitimate question about age, stamina, and the presidency. Either way, the Fox News clash showed that health concerns are no longer being aimed only at Biden.
