At the start of a Cabinet meeting just after noon ET on Tuesday, Donald Trump made his seemingly obligatory reference to “Sleepy Joe” Biden.

Then he assured he was “sharper than I was 25 years ago,” while rebuking The New York Times for a lengthy and detailed story last week laying out how the 79-year-old president appears to have slowed down during his second term.

But over the next hour and a half, Trump struggled to embody the sharpness and vigor he had just laid claim to.

In fact, he seemed to wage a lengthy and often-losing battle with a midday nap. Even as his Cabinet was assembled to engage in one of his favorite activities – singing the praises of Trump – he repeatedly appeared to doze off.