Trump’s absence from public sparks speculation from the left

President Donald Trump hasn’t appeared in public since Tuesday, igniting fresh speculation from liberals that something is awry. ‘Once again, we bury the lede even after [Karoline] confirms the essence of it: The camera-obsessed narcissist president is… where?’ asked former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann on X on Friday. ‘How long has Trump BEEN missing?’

Trump last appeared in front of the press on Tuesday, ahead of this week’s government shutdown that started at midnight. On Wednesday, Thursday and now Friday, Trump held no public events. On Thursday evening, the conservative One America News broadcast a sit-down interview with the president that had been pre-taped the day before.

Also on Thursday, the president took his motorcade to the Naval Observatory to have dinner with Vice President JD Vance at the vice president’s residence. Reporters didn’t get a chance to peak into the dinner. On Friday, Trump was briefly captured seated at the Resolute Desk by longtime aide Margo Martin, as she shared a video of Vance performing the swearing-in of the U.S.’s ambassador to Sweden, Christine Toretti.

Toretti’s swearing-in stayed closed to press, after she was twice rejected by the Senate during Trump’s first term after being nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to Malta. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been calling out Trump for being MIA.

‘Throughout this week, Donald Trump has been missing in action. He remains in the presidential witness protection program,’ the New York Democrat said Friday at a press conference on Capitol Hill. During her Friday afternoon briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked to respond to Jeffries’ dig. ‘That’s just more ridiculous fodder from Team Jeffries,’ she replied.

‘As you all know, because you’re here every day, the president is literally working around the clock right now,’ she continued. ‘He has a swearing-in ceremony, or he already did. He has several meetings on the books today. He literally works 24/7. Anyone who works in this place or covers this place, as you all do, knows that to be true.’ ‘And Hakeem Jeffries and the Senate Democrats should get back to work in a few minutes and vote to reopen the government,’ she scoffed.

Leavitt was also asked if Trump was personally making calls to Democratic senators – as five more need to be peeled off to end the shutdown. ‘The Senate Republicans are speaking directly with moderate Democrats,’ she answered. ‘I understand those conversations have become very serious and we hope positive in the right direction so that Democrats can do the right thing,’ she added.

The White House has not yet responded to a follow-up from the Daily Mail on why the president hasn’t held public events since Tuesday. ‘Due to staff shortages resulting from the Democrat Shutdown, the typical 24/7 monitoring of this press inbox may experience delays,’ an automated email response said.

‘We ask for your patience as our staff work to field your requests in a timely manner.’ ‘As you await a response, please remember this could have been avoided if the Democrats voted for the clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government open,’ the email also offered. In late August, Trump went several days before the Labor Day holiday without holding public events, sparking false rumors online that he had died.

The 79-year-old president has made several cracks about it since. ‘I want to thank the media. They’ve been very nice lately. Although – I’m still here,’ the president said during a September dinner with tech leaders. During his sit-down with OAN this week, he was asked if he had big plans ahead of the 2026 midterm races. ‘I have big plans, I want to survive,’ the president said laughing.