Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross reportedly keeps falling asleep at meetings

Wilber Ross reportedly makes it to 11 a.m. before he starts to nod off.

(Image credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

last updated 22 January 2018

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' propensity for falling asleep at meetings is not helping his standing in the eyes of President Trump, who is already frustrated with the 80-year-old over "no good," "terrible" trade deals, Axios reports.

"Wilbur is good until about 11 a.m.," one former administration official admitted. Politico's Eliana Johnson tweeted that she has heard similarly:

White House officials rallied to defend Ross, with National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn telling Axios that "Secretary Ross remains an important member of the president's economic team" and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer adding that "Secretary Ross and I work together every day."

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Neither confirmed nor denied reports of Ross' sleeping habits.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.