Trump Guests on Usha Vance Podcast, Reads Children’s Book

President Donald Trump appeared on Second Lady Usha Vance's children's literacy podcast, where his comments about his reading habits and humorous observations about past presidents sparked widespread reaction online. The episode of "Storytime with the Second Lady" was posted online on Friday, July 3, 2026, and was pretaped in the Oval Office in mid-June.

During the friendly interview, Trump narrated the children's book "Presidents Play!" from the White House Historical Association. When Vance asked if he had time to read for pleasure, the president replied that he ends up reading mostly newspapers. "I usually read stories about myself," Trump said. This remark quickly circulated on social media, where many critics interpreted it as an unintentional self-critique.

Throughout the episode, Trump offered a running commentary rather than strictly reading the book's text. He described Lyndon Johnson as a "tough" figure and Ronald Reagan as a "high-quality" person. He called John F. Kennedy the "second best-looking president" and expressed fondness for Bill Clinton, though he said he would never use the jogging track Clinton installed. Reflecting on his own physique upon seeing a...