US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has rebuffed the claims that he fell asleep during President Donald Trump's speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
"This is fake news. I wear hearing aids and, during President Trump's inspiring speech, which covered in detail the entire range of significant issues facing the world, was concentrating on what was being said", Ross said in a statement.
He was caught on camera looking asleep during Trump’s address, with the video shots of the secretary being aired by US media and uploaded on social media.
WATCH: Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appears to sleep during Trump’s United Nations speech. pic.twitter.com/uOGGF0mamz
— CNBC (@CNBC) September 24, 2019
Ross, 81, was filmed with his eyes closed and his head down for prolonged periods of time as Trump was talking at the UN New York headquarters describing how the “future belongs to sovereign and independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbors, and honor the differences that make each country special and unique."
Is Wilbur Ross ... is he sleeping through Trump's #unga speech? pic.twitter.com/rmzjtuFedB
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 24, 2019
The commerce secretary, a Trump appointee, reacted to the embarrassing footage by claiming that the social media reposts were “fake news.”
"I wear hearing aids, and during President Trump’s inspiring speech, which covered in detail the entire range of significant issues facing the world, I was concentrating on what was being said," Ross offered, according to the Washington Examiner.
The secretary added that his schedule, which included meetings with several world leaders following the president’s speech, is not “of someone with low energy.”
This is not the first time that the US commerce secretary was caught “concentrating” during a Trump speech. Earlier in May, cameras caught Ross dozing off during a Trump speech in front of Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia.
re: Wilbur Ross falling asleep in meetings, remember that this happened in Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/je1MAvUKbR
— Soviet Sergey (@SovietSergey) January 22, 2018
The US president, 73, was also caught on camera “concentrating” on Queen Elizabeth’s speech during his visit to the UK in August.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, falling asleep as Her Majesty The Queen delivers her State banquet speech...pic.twitter.com/EdXh15XMre
— Benjamin Wareing (@BenjaminWareing) June 3, 2019
