WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump appeared on Second Lady Usha Vance's podcast, "Storytime with the Second Lady," in an episode posted online on Friday, July 3, 2026. During the appearance, Trump read from the children's book "Presidents Play!" and offered commentary on previous U.S. presidents.

Trump's appearance was pre-taped in mid-June 2026 in the White House Oval Office. The book, published by the White House Historical Association, features illustrations depicting U.S. presidents engaged in various sports and recreational activities at the White House. The Oval Office set for the recording included a bald eagle stuffed animal, tables constructed from stacks of oversized books, and a globe made of Legos.

In a podcast interview, Trump discussed his reading habits, stating he primarily reads newspapers for enjoyment. "I usually read stories about myself," Trump said. He also provided his views on several former presidents, describing former President Lyndon Johnson as a "tough cookie" and former President Ronald Reagan as a "high-quality person." Trump told Vance, "like your father was president," and identified former President John F. Kennedy as "the second-most good-looking president."

Commenting on former President Richard Nixon, Trump remarked that Nixon "got himself into trouble, I guess." When an illustration of Herbert Hoover playing "Hoover Ball" appeared, Trump stated, "That worked out better for him than the economy." He referred to former President Barack Obama as "Barack Hussein Obama" and expressed doubt regarding Obama's basketball skills. Trump also said Obama's favorite sport is golf, adding, "He won't be in the Master's anytime soon." Trump commented on an illustration of Bill Clinton running, stating, "I don't think I'll ever do that," while also noting that he likes Clinton "a lot." He stated he would like to ride horses but suggested using "A nice old horse that's extremely slow, lazy" because falling off horses is not good. Trump remarked that a ballroom is being built on the site where John Quincy Adams was illustrated swimming in Tiber Creek, and he added, "I don't know if I look good in a bathing suit. I haven't had a bathing suit in a long time." He identified William Howard Taft as the heaviest U.S. president and stated, "I have to be careful because I don't want to supersede his record." At the close of his appearance, Trump advised viewers to "keep yourself in good shape." He also stated, "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."