Conservative lawyer George Conway in an interview late Thursday dismissed former President Trump’s claims about not sleeping in court after reporters noticed Trump closing his eyes during the hush money case in New York.
Conway, a frequent Trump critic, claimed the former president has struggled to get up in the morning for some time, even while serving as commander in chief.
“That is just so perfect Donald Trump,” Conway said on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.”
“His reputation really has been in the past that he’s ‘Sleepy Donald.’ I’ve talked to people — journalists — who interviewed him, wrote books about him back in the day, and he never showed up in the office at Trump Tower before 11 a.m. or rarely ever, apparently,” Conway said.
“And we know what he did at the White House,” he added. “He was not there in the morning. He wasn’t an early riser to read his important briefing books. This is rough on him: He’s got to get up early every morning. And he is not free to fly around the country like we are people on cellphone commercials.”
Conway’s remarks came just hours after Trump denied sleeping in court, writing in a Truth Social post that he was only closing his eyes to “listen intensely.”
“Contrary to the FAKE NEWS MEDIA, I don’t fall asleep during the Crooked D.A.’s Witch Hunt, especially not today. I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!” Trump wrote.
Trump has been seen closing his eyes during his hush money trial, in which he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an effort to bury stories that he feared could hurt his 2016 campaign.
Democrats and political strategists have mocked Trump for appearing to fall asleep during the proceedings.
During the first day of the trial, his lead attorney, Todd Blanche, passed notes to his client for a few minutes before Trump jolted awake to see them, according to The New York Times.
The Associated Press contributed.