President Donald Trump assigned Vice President JD Vance to handle questions during a dinner with Central Asian leaders on Thursday, November 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The 79-year-old president appeared tired throughout the event, which took place in the East Room of the White House.
Attendees included the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Trump, flanked by Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, faced inquiries from reporters on key policy issues.
One question concerned Kazakhstan’s entry into the Abraham Accords, even though it already had a longstanding relationship with Israel. Trump directed Vance to answer, who stated, “What the president has done is signal that the momentum of the Abraham Accords is alive and well in the second administration. It’s not just going to be Kazakhstan, but also several other countries that join in the months to come.”
The Abraham Accords were initiated during Trump’s first term, facilitating diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab nations. Kazakhstan’s inclusion marks the first expansion under Trump’s second term, although the addition is largely symbolic, given Kazakhstan’s diplomatic ties with Israel dating back to 1992.
Trump announced Kazakhstan’s participation via Truth Social after a conversation between Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tokayev praised Trump during the event, referring to him as a leader sent by Heaven.
A reporter from Fox News asked about a federal judge’s order in Rhode Island for the administration to fully fund food stamps by week’s end. Trump deferred to Vance, who responded, “It’s an absurd ruling because you have a federal judge effectively telling us what we have to do in the midst of a Democrat government shutdown.”
The ruling by U.S. District Judge John McConnell on November 6 mandates the Trump administration to disburse Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments to the states in full by Friday. McConnell cited the prolonged wait for payments as unacceptable. Approximately 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, which is typically distributed monthly.
The Department of Agriculture had halted November benefits due to funding issues during a government shutdown that started on October 1. The agency’s decision prompted a lawsuit from Democracy Forward, a progressive legal group, claiming the action violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
Trump elaborated that aid should target those genuinely in need rather than those capable of working but choosing instead to live off government support.
Trump’s evening appearance followed a morning event announcing agreements with pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower prices of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. During the Oval Office event, a guest from Eli Lilly fainted near Trump, prompting a temporary halt as medical personnel attended to the individual.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office shared images from the drug pricing announcement showing Trump with closed eyes while Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, spoke about obesity and sleep. Newsom’s team commented online, “DOZY DON IS BACK!”
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers clarified that Trump was not asleep, emphasizing that he was engaged throughout the announcement, which marked a significant step in reducing drug prices for Americans dealing with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The White House labeled media portrayals of the event as misleading.
The Central Asian summit was a strategic attempt by the Trump administration to secure access to rare earth metals, which are essential for technology and military applications. Trump met with each of the five leaders individually before the dinner.
Secretary of State Rubio met with Central Asian leaders at the State Department on Wednesday, marking the 10th anniversary of the C5+1 grouping and discussing the expansion of economic ties. Rubio noted that the accords promote partnerships that demonstrate cooperation between majority Muslim countries and Israel.