Americans prepare for the typical mayhem when the government shuts down: late-night tweets from the president, reports of him at golf courses, and blame games for the cameras. However, this week? Quiet. A spooky silence has descended upon Washington. Since the shutdown started, Donald Trump (rarely out of the spotlight) has not been heard or seen. Governor Gavin Newsom of California took notice. Newsom’s team went on X (formerly Twitter) and dropped a blunt jab straight into the void:
“HAS ANYONE SEEN DOZY DON SINCE HE SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT? ARE STAFF POSTING SINCE ‘THE STROKE?’”
The all-caps phrasing echoed Trump’s signature style and caused chatter. Did Gavin Newsom suggest the president suffered a stroke? Or was he spotlighting Trump’s absence during the second day of the 2025 US government shutdown?
Critics note the timing seems questionable, particularly amid ongoing whispers about Trump’s health. Photos have shown swollen ankles and unexplained hand bruises, which staff attributed to aspirin and vigorous handshakes.
While the White House doctor declared Trump in “excellent health” this April, doubts persist among observers.
Theories now vary widely as some suggest Trump is simply hiding away and overeating, while others raise darker concerns about possible strokes, dementia, or handlers staging a cover-up. One sharp-eyed critic noted that during Trump’s recent address to military officers, his “head was cocked left the whole time,” opening up to whispers of neurological issues. Trump hasn’t appeared publicly since August 25, when photos with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung revealed an apparent bruise on his right hand. Since then, only proxies like JD Vance have surfaced. Though his Truth Social feed stays active, many suspect staffers (or AI) are behind the posts.
NOW THAT DONNY SHUT DOWN THE GOVT, WE MUST FIRE THESE GOVT EMPLOYEES: TRUMP’S FACE PAINTER, HAIR FLUFFER, SHOE LIFT INSERTER, DIAPER CHANGER, DIETICIAN, LOBOTOMIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, ENGLISH TEACHER, AND THE GYNECOLOGIST WHO TREATS HIS NECK. (SAD) pic.twitter.com/y5w7wPc4uB
— Governor Newsom Press Office (parody) (@AwesomeNewsom) October 2, 2025
It’s no coincidence Gavin Newsom picked this moment to provoke Donald Trump. The California governor, per Politico, just signed a major bill boosting ethanol fuel sales, which could’ve been big news. But his real headline-grabber was calling Trump “Dozy Don” and suggesting the president might be having a stroke. That jab shifted attention away from Newsom’s policy wins and back onto Trump’s leadership during the shutdown. Newsom’s framing paints Trump as absent and unfit to handle crises.
RELATED: Doctor Says Donald Trump Should Take Alzheimer’s Test Amid ‘Odd and Strange’ Behavior
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed him up and challenged Trump and GOP leaders to a showdown by Friday.
Jeffries said,
“They’re hiding because they know their positions are indefensible. This is a Trump, Republican shutdown and (…) I think day 256 of the chaos that Donald Trump has unleashed on the American people.”
Democrats like Gavin Newsom see a chance here as they criticize the shutdown while targeting Trump’s rumored health issues. Trump’s silence only fuels more whispers. Behind closed doors, Trump met with budget director Russ Vought about cutting infrastructure spending. Key projects took hits: New York’s subway and Hudson Tunnel plans faced an $18 billion pause. It’s Trump’s tactic of targeting Democratic priorities. But without his loud public presence, even these policy moves get lost in the noise about his absence.
Whether strategically lying low or genuinely unwell, Donald Trump remains offstage. Critics fill the void, and Gavin Newsom asked the sharpest question yet: Where is Trump?
NEXT UP: Let Them Dance! Gavin Newsom Mocks Trump With Savage Marie Antoinette Meme
