Trump’s Final Cabinet Meeting of the Year Stretches Beyond Two Hours, Marked by Missteps and Major Statements

President Donald Trump’s final Cabinet meeting of the year turned into a long and occasionally chaotic session on Tuesday, running for more than two hours and producing several notable moments ranging from on-camera fatigue to controversial policy remarks.

The meeting, which Trump said would be the last before 2026, opened with extended comments from the president as he revisited key announcements from recent months along with long-standing grievances, including his disproven claims about the 2020 election. As he spoke, Trump urged his Cabinet to keep their remarks brief, but the meeting quickly grew into one of the lengthier gatherings of his administration.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was the first to speak, offering praise for the administration’s push to rebrand his department as the “Department of War,” a change that would require congressional approval. Attention soon shifted to a noticeable error on his nameplate, which read “ssecretary of war,” prompting widespread mockery online. As Hegseth wrapped up, cameras captured Trump leaning back in his chair with his eyes closing intermittently, raising questions about his alertness during the session.

The president’s apparent drowsiness came just days after he criticised a New York Times report that examined his stamina and scheduling at age 79. At Tuesday’s meeting, Trump again attacked the report, speaking in the third person as he insisted “Trump is sharp.”

While officials took turns delivering lengthy updates, Budget Director Russell Vought passed the time by sketching on White House letterhead. His drawing featured mountains, trees and soft clouds, reminiscent of a Bob Ross nature scene.

Several Cabinet members also contradicted Trump’s messaging on affordability. In his opening remarks, Trump dismissed concerns about rising prices as a “con job” pushed by Democrats. Yet Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke about the financial strain on farmers, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent referred to affordability as a “crisis,” and Housing Secretary Scott Turner highlighted efforts to support first-time homebuyers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio closed the round of presentations, acknowledging the session’s length before adding that he still had “a lot to cover.” While the meeting did not surpass Trump’s record-setting three-hour Cabinet gathering earlier this year, the president himself remarked that the session was running long.

When questions from reporters began, the conversation shifted to two key issues. Hegseth defended a September strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat near Venezuela, saying he did not believe there were survivors in the water and cited the “fog of war” to explain the decision to conduct a second strike. He added that he left the scene after the initial attack.

Trump later declared he did not want Somali immigrants entering the United States, arguing that people from the conflict-stricken East African country should remain there to rebuild their nation. He also accused Somalis of relying too heavily on American aid. His remarks were met with applause from several Cabinet members.

Reporters were quickly ushered out afterward, ending the meeting with a lighthearted moment as Trump congratulated a boom mic operator for holding equipment aloft for the entire session.