Trump Reads Children's Book, Comments On Past Presidents on Podcast

US President Donald Trump appeared on Second Lady Usha Vance’s children’s podcast and joked that he mostly reads newspaper stories about himself while serving in the White House. The episode of “Storytime with the Second Lady,” posted online on Friday, featured Trump reading a picture book about former US presidents while offering unscripted comments on politics, sports and his own life.

The appearance was recorded in mid-June in the Oval Office, where Trump read “Presidents Play!”, a children’s book featuring illustrations of presidents enjoying sports and recreational activities at the White House. When Vance asked whether he had time to read for fun as president, Trump said he mostly read newspapers before adding, “I usually read stories about myself.”

As Trump moved through the book, he offered observations about several former presidents. He described Lyndon Johnson as a “tough cookie” and Ronald Reagan as a “high-quality person,” while jokingly referring to John F. Kennedy as the “second-most good-looking president.” Trump also quipped about Herbert Hoover’s struggles during the Great Depression and commented on Richard Nixon’s resignation following the Watergate scandal.

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The president also discussed Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and other predecessors featured in the book. Trump questioned Obama’s basketball skills and joked about his chances of competing in the Masters golf tournament. After seeing an illustration of Clinton running on the White House jogging track, Trump said he would probably never do the same, though he added that he liked Clinton “a lot.”

Several illustrations prompted Trump to reflect on his own activities and physical condition. After seeing Abraham Lincoln on horseback, he said he would consider riding a slow and calm horse because of the risks of falling. A picture of Gerald Ford swimming led Trump to joke that he had not worn a bathing suit in a long time, while an illustration of William Howard Taft prompted comments about staying in shape.

Toward the end of the programme, Vance asked Trump what advice he would give children about celebrating the United States on July 4. Trump described the country as being at an important moment and said his administration would work to make it “greater than ever before.” The podcast appearance offered a lighter look at the president as he mixed the children’s story with jokes, personal reflections and comments about former US leaders.

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