Experts say soda addict Donald Trump ‘fell asleep’ in court could be due to caffeine crash – because he was without his beloved Diet Coke

Donald Trump’s fondness for Diet Coke could explain why he appeared to fall asleep in court this week, a sleep expert told DailyMail.com.

The former president is said to have fallen asleep several times during jury selection in his hush-money criminal trial in New York on Monday.

His team vehemently denies the claims, saying his eyes may have been closed because ‘he reads a lot’, but one expert has cited his diet as a possible reason.

Dr. Chris Winter, a Virginia neurologist, said Trump may have been struggling because of a lack of caffeine — because he didn’t have access to his beloved Diet Coke.

Trump is said to drink up to twelve cans of the stuff every day – which provides about as much caffeine as four 12-ounce cups of coffee.

A sketch by veteran courtroom artist Jane Rosenberg showed Trump dozed in his chair. Other reporters in the courtroom supported Maggie Haberman’s earlier reporting that the former president had fallen asleep

Dr. Winter added that Trump’s notoriously poor diet, filled with processed and fast food, could also lead to an energy dip in the afternoon.

Trump also boasts that he can do business after sleeping just four or five hours a night, claiming this has helped his career.

Trump – who often calls President Biden “Sleepy Joe” – appeared fatigued in court and was seen by several reporters as having fallen asleep in his chair at the start of his criminal trial, where he faces 34 felony charges related to falsifying company details to cover up a feud with a porn star.

After the lunch break, he again closed his eyes several times and seemed to fall asleep, causing his posture to stiffen.

said Doctor Winter the sudden lack of Diet Coke “could be a contributing factor.”

“Especially if he uses (soda) to compensate for insufficient or dysfunctional sleep.” Plus, lack of sleep makes us crave sugar.”

Trump’s diet consists largely of unhealthy foods, which could lead to a sharp drop in energy shortly after eating

Trump’s love for diet soda is well known and so strong that he reportedly installed a button on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to summon one at will.

In 2017, the Associated Press reported that, after pressing the button built into a polished wooden box the size of a tissue package, “a White House butler entered carrying a single glass of Diet Coke on a silver tray.”

While he is no longer in the White House, Trump is said to be receiving a steady stream of soda in the comfort of his home base, Mar-A-Lago.

A single can of Diet Coke contains 46 mg of caffeine, approximately the equivalent of one shot of espresso.

From 9 a.m. until the lunch break, Trump must rely on the caffeine he drinks before walking through the courtroom doors to stay alert.

Poor sleep combined with a caffeine deficiency and a high-fat, fast-food diet are a recipe for an energy crash.

Dr. Winter added, “Given his age, stress, preference for fast food, and disinterest in exercise, I think his sleepiness could definitely be related to other underlying health conditions. Cardiac, cognitive, etc., all possibilities. Hard to say without access to his medical records.”

Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba called reports that he fell asleep “a remarkable story at best” and said his eyes may have been closed because “he reads a lot.”

Mrs Habba said: ‘He’s probably terribly bored. I mean, it’s painful that they let him sit there through jury selection… but no, you know, I heard that report; it is unlikely, I know him; I’ve been through trial after trial with him, which never happens.”

President Biden, for his part, is no stranger to falling asleep at inopportune moments, such as during opening remarks at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.