Trump reads on Usha Vance podcast, riffs on presidents
President Donald Trump joined Second Lady Usha Vance on her "Storytime with the Second Lady" podcast on July 3, 2026, reading the White House Historical Association book "Presidents Play!" Instead of a straight read-along, Trump riffed on past presidents, joked about his physique, promoted a White House ballroom, and said he "usually read stories about myself."
Washington (AP)—The Independence Day episode, posted online Friday, featured Trump flipping through illustrations of presidents enjoying sports and recreation on White House grounds. Vance hosts the series, where high-profile guests read picture books to children.
Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump and Usha Vance recorded a July 3, 2026 episode of "Storytime with the Second Lady" aimed at young viewers.
- Asked about leisure reading, Trump said he mostly reads newspapers and "stories about myself."
- He called JFK the "second most good-looking president," joked about bathing suits, and questioned Barack Obama's basketball and golf skills.
- Trump praised Reagan, Lincoln, Eisenhower, and Grover Cleveland while offering blunt takes on LBJ and Nixon.
- He plugged a ballroom under construction on White House grounds and gave a mixed July 4 message about America's future.
What happened on Usha Vance's podcast?
Vance invited Trump as a guest reader for the holiday episode. Trump chose "Presidents Play!"—a children's book published by the White House Historical Association that depicts how presidents spent leisure time at the White House.
When Vance noted that governing requires extensive reading and asked whether Trump still reads for fun, he smiled and replied that he mostly reads newspapers. "I usually read stories about myself," he said, according to AP News.
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Which presidents did Trump comment on?
Trump offered running commentary as he turned each page. He called Ronald Reagan "in very good shape" and a "high quality person," comparing him to "your father was president," Forbes reported. He said Lyndon B. Johnson "wasn't in shape" but was a "very tough cookie."
Abraham Lincoln's horse-riding habit drew praise—Trump said he'd like to ride too but feared falling and would need a "nice old horse that's extremely slow" and "lazy." He hailed John F. Kennedy as a "great guy" and "handsome," calling him the "second most good-looking president," seemingly placing himself first.
Trump noted Grover Cleveland was the only president besides himself to serve two non-consecutive terms. On Richard Nixon bowling, he said Nixon "spent a lot of time fighting to stay in office" because "a lot of people got him into trouble, and he got himself into trouble I guess." Dwight Eisenhower, he added, was a "much better president" than he's "given credit for."
What else did Trump say beyond the book?
Trump said he doesn't "know if I look good in a bathing suit" and hasn't worn one in a long time, according to Yahoo News. After noting William Howard Taft was the country's "heaviest president," he mused he must be careful not to "supersede his record," and told children watching to "keep yourself in good shape."
On a page showing Barack Obama's White House basketball court, Trump said, "I don't know if he's a good basketball player. I tend to doubt it," adding Obama's favorite sport is golf but "he won't be in the Masters anytime soon."
Trump also promoted the extensive ballroom he is building on White House grounds. When Vance asked why children should celebrate the country on July 4, he said America is "on a little bit of a ledge right now" but pledged to "make America greater than ever before."