(WASHINGTON) In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Joe Biden’s naps must be limited to six hours a day, arguing that taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth if he shirks his duties for a longer period of time.
“The president is a public servant who is compensated with funds collected from the people. Therefore, he must be awake and actually performing the functions of his office for at least half the normal work day,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the 6-3 majority.
“Anything less is not only a breach of the public trust but also adds to the perception among the populace that they’re paying for a service they’re not receiving,” he added.
Writing for the three liberals who disagreed, Justice Elena Kagan wrote, “It is no business of this court to decide when and how often a president can nap. These are highly personal decisions that the Judicial Branch has no role in making.
“If taxpayers are offended or otherwise feeling injured by a president who only works a couple of hours a day, they have a remedy every four years at the ballot box,” she added.
Asked if the president had any response, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she would get one from him “after he wakes up.”
