Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that he and other senior officials spent roughly 90 minutes unsure whether an unidentified person sleeping on Air Force One was experiencing a medical emergency.

During an appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast, Rubio described the incident that occurred aboard the aircraft while returning from China. The officials deliberated for approximately an hour and a half about whether to intervene.

The Dilemma

Rubio explained the officials faced a difficult choice between two scenarios. “We spent about 90 minutes sort of debating should we make a move? Should we deal with this?” Rubio said.

Officials hesitated to wake the person due to concerns about embarrassment if the individual was simply in deep sleep. “Because it’s embarrassing if you wake them up,” Rubio said.

However, the alternative outcome worried them more. “But if they were dead, like what do you do? You have a dead body on the plane,” Rubio said.

Why Officials Were Concerned

The person had slept through significant noise and showed no response to external stimuli, according to Rubio’s account. He also noted that “the breathing pattern was difficult,” which heightened concerns among those present.

Despite their worries, no official summoned the aircraft physician or attempted to wake the individual during the deliberation period.

The Resolution

The situation ultimately resolved without requiring officials to make a decision. “Luckily, the person was fine,” Rubio said.

Rubio did not disclose the identity of the sleeping individual, and no other official has confirmed who it was. His refusal to name the person sparked speculation on social media, with some users joking about potential candidates.

Context From Previous Controversy

The anecdote gained additional attention because Rubio had addressed a similar sleeping-related matter during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing approximately one month earlier. Democratic California Rep. Ted Lieu asked Rubio whether he had witnessed President Trump fall asleep in meetings.

“I’ve never seen him fall asleep,” Rubio responded. “On the contrary, the guy doesn’t sleep, which is a big problem.”

Lieu presented what he said was video evidence showing Trump with his eyes closed during a cabinet meeting. “Secretary Rubio, I’m going to show you, in a moment, a video that shows you just lied to Congress,” Lieu said. Rubio maintained his position that he had never witnessed Trump fall asleep, and no formal congressional action has been reported regarding Lieu’s accusation.