Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is calling reports he took a long nap during President Donald Trump's United Nations speech "fake news," and said, rather than sleeping, he was concentrating on his "inspiring" words.
"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, 81, said in a statement to CNBC, after it posted a story detailing Ross' actions while Trump addressed the U.N. General Assembly.
Ross is shown in television footage with his head down and his eyes closed for at least 15 minutes, while Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sat nearby appearing to be listening closely.
The secretary told CNBC he had a full schedule that someone with low energy could not perform, including bilateral meetings with leaders from the United Kingdom and India, along with follow-ups later with officials from the UK and South Korea.
He also said throughout the General Assembly, he either attended or planned to go to meetings with governments from Pakistan, Poland, Egypt, Japan, Greece, and Vietnam.
CNBC's report Tuesday was not the first time Ross has been observed falling asleep, and in July, Politico reported Ross was not respected in Commerce because he lacks stamina.
"Because he tends to fall asleep in meetings, they try not to put him in a position where that could happen so they're very careful and conscious about how they schedule certain meetings," a former outside adviser told Politico. "There's a small window where he's able to focus and pay attention and not fall asleep."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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