'He calls me at 2': Rubio goes to war for Trump over health and stamina concerns at House hearing

WASHINGTON, DC: Questions about President Donald Trump's stamina resurfaced on Wednesday, June 3, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio mounted a forceful defense of the president during a contentious hearing of the House Foreign Relations Committee.

The exchange came as lawmakers challenged Trump's public appearances and energy levels, prompting Rubio to push back aggressively and portray the president as someone who works at an unusually relentless pace despite growing speculation surrounding his health and recent absence from public events.

Marco Rubio claims 'Trump works relentlessly'

The confrontation unfolded when Rep Ted Lieu raised questions about whether Trump had appeared to fall asleep during official meetings. Rubio immediately rejected the suggestion.

“That’s false. I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” the secretary of state said. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem because he calls me at 2 in the morning.”

The top diplomat continued with a personal account of Trump's work habits, saying the president frequently reaches out long before dawn. “He calls me at 5 in the morning,” Rubio told lawmakers. “I like to sleep a little bit but he works.”

Rubio also pointed to late-night activity inside the White House, saying Trump was recently working in the Oval Office well past midnight.

According to Rubio, criticism of the president's energy level bears little resemblance to what administration officials witness behind closed doors.

The exchange intensified when Lieu displayed video clips that he argued showed Trump with his eyes closed during public appearances, including a Cabinet meeting. Rubio was unmoved.

He described the president as someone who routinely outworks those around him.

“I’ve been on foreign trips with the president that he doesn’t sleep on the whole flight,” Rubio said. “Everyone else is sleeping on the plane.”

He added that Trump often spends long hours awake while staff members rest, insisting that neither physical stamina nor mental sharpness is a problem.

“You may not like his policies. You may not like the decisions he’s made,” Rubio said. “But I assure you, this is not a president that sleeps or is cognitively impaired in any way, shape, or form.”

Speculations around Trump's health

The renewed debate comes against the backdrop of growing attention surrounding Trump's public schedule.

Observers have noted that the president has made relatively few public appearances in recent days, fueling online speculation about his health and whereabouts.

The discussion intensified after a recent visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which attracted attention because little information was released publicly at the time.

The White House has repeatedly rejected concerns about the president's condition.

A medical report released following Trump's latest examination described him as being in excellent health and fully capable of performing the duties of the presidency.

White House physician Dr Sean Barbabella reported normal findings across a range of evaluations, including cardiovascular, neurological and pulmonary assessments.