Mary Trump, the niece of former President Donald Trump, has suggested that a childhood lesson from her grandfather, Fred Trump, may be a contributing factor to her uncle's reported lack of sleep. Appearing on MS NOW's “The Beat,” she stated that Fred Trump, who required very little sleep himself, conveyed a message to his children that needing sleep was a sign of weakness.
"I think Donald took that to heart and feels that, in order to be a tough guy, he needs to get by on very little sleep," Mary Trump explained. She described her grandfather as a healthy individual who abstained from drinking, drugs, and smoking, and maintained a good diet.
However, Mary Trump argued that the former president's current health is compromised by factors such as his "excessive" Diet Coke consumption and age, which she believes affect his ability to stay awake and focus during the day. She posited that the sleep issue is part of a larger pattern that includes observed dozing at public events and a loss of impulse control.
Donald Trump has previously spoken about surviving on three or four hours of sleep per night. Allies, including Sean Hannity of Fox News, have reportedly received late-night calls from him. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described his efforts to sleep during flights with Trump, citing a need to avoid being discovered by the former president, who he said would "emerge from the cabin and start prowling the hallways to see who is awake."