President Donald Trump joined Second Lady Usha Vance on her children’s podcast “Storytime with the Second Lady” to read a picture book about U.S. presidents, but spent much of the episode offering a running commentary on his predecessors, his own physique, and his plans for the White House.
In the episode posted online Friday and titled “Independence Day: President Donald J. Trump Reads ‘Presidents Play,’ Episode Ten,” Trump read “Presidents Play!” a children’s book from the White House Historical Association that features illustrations of presidents enjoying sports and recreation on the White House grounds.
Trump pre-taped the appearance in mid-June in the Oval Office, where gold accents he added were supplemented for the occasion with a bald eagle stuffed animal, oversized book stacks, and a Lego globe. When Usha Vance asked if he reads for fun while serving as president, Trump replied that he mostly reads newspapers. “I usually read stories about myself,” Trump said.
As Trump turned through the book, he made observations about past presidents. He described Lyndon Johnson as a “tough cookie” and Ronald Reagan as a “high-quality person” and “like your father was president.” Of John F. Kennedy, Trump said he was “the second-most good-looking president”—leaving unsaid who he considered the most handsome.
Trump was less charitable about Barack Obama, calling him “Barack Hussein Obama” and doubting his basketball abilities. Though Obama’s favorite sport is golf, Trump added, “He won’t be in the Master’s anytime soon.” Richard Nixon, he noted, “got himself into trouble, I guess,” and Herbert Hoover’s invented game “Hoover Ball” “worked out better for him than the economy,” Trump quipped.
Trump also plugged his ongoing White House construction projects. Seeing a picture of John Quincy Adams swimming in the Tiber Creek that once ran past the south lawn, Trump remarked, “I think we’re building a beautiful ballroom on top of it.” When he saw a drawing of Bill Clinton running on the jogging track Clinton installed, Trump said, “I don’t think I’ll ever do that”—though he added that he likes Clinton “a lot.”
The president reflected on his own physique when viewing other presidents’ physical activities. After seeing Gerald Ford swimming, Trump said: “I don’t know if I look good in a bathing suit. I haven’t had a bathing suit in a long time.” William Howard Taft, known for his girth, “was our heaviest president,” Trump observed. “I have to be careful because I don’t want to supersede his record. And a thing like that would be possible if I allowed it to happen. For all of you out there watching, keep yourself in good shape.”
The podcast itself is part of Usha Vance’s initiative to promote childhood literacy. She launched “Storytime with the Second Lady” on March 30, 2026, featuring herself and guest readers discussing books on YouTube and Spotify. Trump’s appearance, episode ten, was timed for the Fourth of July. When asked for his advice to children on celebrating America, Trump offered a somewhat ambiguous message: “We have a great country. We have a country that, it’s on a little bit of a ledge right now. It can go one way or another, you understand that. But we’re going to make it go the other. And we’re going to make America greater than ever before.”
Sources
- AP News — Trump’s appearance on Vance’s podcast, the book he read, his comments about past presidents, and his remarks about his own physique
- PBS NewsHour — Confirmation of the episode details, Trump’s remarks about presidents, and the book’s publisher
- U.S. News & World Report — Launch date of Usha Vance’s podcast on March 30, 2026
- Fox News — Confirmation of the podcast launch and its availability on YouTube and Spotify
