President Donald Trump turned a children's podcast appearance into a platform for petty jabs at his predecessors, hijacking the show with unhinged commentary. The episode of 'Storytime with the Second Lady,' hosted by second lady Usha Vance, was released Friday as part of a special edition celebrating America's 250th anniversary and the July 4th holiday. Filmed in the Oval Office, Trump read aloud the children's book 'Presidents Play' from the White House Historical Association, which illustrates how former presidents spent their leisure time.
Trump Veers Off-Script to Mock Predecessors
Instead of focusing on the hobbies outlined in the book, Trump uttered his wild opinions of their presidencies, frequently tying things back to himself. Discussing Barack Obama's love for basketball, Trump said, 'I don't know if he's a good basketball player, I tend to doubt it.' He then told Vance that Obama's favorite sport is golf before spitefully adding, 'He won't be in the Masters anytime soon.'
Trump oddly praised John F. Kennedy, calling him the 'second-most good-looking president.' While reading about Dwight Eisenhower adding a putting green to the South Lawn, Trump turned the conversation back to himself, saying, 'I've never used it, because I don't want to be seen putting at the White House. I want to be seen working at the White House.'
Self-Referencing and Weight Comments
Calling William Howard Taft 'our heaviest president,' Trump added, '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, right?'
When asked by Vance about his reading habits, Trump replied, 'I end up reading mostly newspapers. I usually read stories about myself.' Wrapping up the episode, Trump delivered an underwhelming message to children: '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. We're going to make America greater than ever before.'
Vance Promotes Episode
Vice President JD Vance hyped the episode in a Friday X post, calling it one of his 'favorite episodes so far.' The podcast, intended to motivate kids to read, instead showcased Trump's self-absorption and pettiness, according to critics.
