Trump pokes enjoyable at himself, roasts Obama in kids’s podcast

President Donald Trump forged doubt on Barack Obama’s basketball prowess, praised John F. Kennedy’s attractiveness and declared his fondness for Bill Clinton. Then he made enjoyable of his personal weight.

Trump was studying an image e-book to kids – with a facet of commentary – throughout an look on second woman Usha Vance’s podcast “Storytime with the Second Lady” on June 3 within the Oval Office. The podcast was launched nearly three months in the past to advertise childhood literacy and has featured particular visitors together with her husband, Vice President JD Vance, and Inter Miami CF soccer participant Ian Fray. The podcast has shut to six,000 subscribers on YouTube.

Trump, who was visitor No. 10, poked enjoyable at his predecessors, however he was additionally uncharacteristically self-effacing.

The 24-page e-book – “Presidents Play!” – printed by the White House Historical Society in 2020, options illustrations exhibiting how presidents, regardless of their hectic schedule, unwind on the White House grounds by exercising, taking part in sports activities and stress-free.

The president sat head to head with Vance within the Oval Office and began off with a quick introduction of the now-gilded house, describing it as “the most powerful piece of real estate probably in the world.”

Asked by Vance if he has any time to do any leisurely e-book studying, Trump admitted it’s “mostly newspapers.”

“I usually read stories about myself,” he mentioned

Then he bought happening varied presidents.

“I think the presidents all work hard, but sometimes they take a break to have fun and exercise,” he mentioned

Ronald Reagan was in “very good shape” whereas Lyndon Johnson “wasn’t into shape, but he was a very tough cookie, a real great politician.”

He flipped to a web page with an illustration of Clinton working on a particular jogging observe on the White House that had been constructed for him.

“I didn’t even know that until recently,” he mentioned. After saying he didn’t see himself as a jogger, Trump heaped reward on Clinton.

“He actually was a nice guy,” he mentioned. “I like Bill Clinton a lot. I still do.”

Coming up on an image of Abraham Lincoln using a horse, he mentioned it had given him “an idea.”

After speaking about “too many bad things” taking place from individuals falling off horses, Trump mentioned he’d be sport to mount a “a nice old horse that’s extremely slow, lazy and maybe ride.”

Seeing Gerald Ford’s image and the White House swimming pool that he constructed, Trump, who has referred to himself as “very handsome,” mentioned: “I don’t know if I look good in a bathing suit. I haven’t had a bathing suit in a long time.”

Trump was additionally modest when it got here to evaluating his personal construct, whereas musing about William Taft’s weight.

“He was a large man, very large. He was our heaviest president,” Trump mentioned. “And 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.”

Still, the flashes of self-effacement didn’t final lengthy.

Talking about John. F. Kennedy, Trump remarked: “He was the second most-good- looking president.”

Then Trump settled on one in all his two favourite political punching luggage: Barack Obama. Joe Biden didn’t make the e-book because it was printed in 2020.

“Barack Hussein Obama was a basketball player. I don’t know if he’s a good basketball player. I tend to doubt it,” mentioned Trump.  “Actually, his favorite sport is golf. But he won’t be in the Masters (tournament) anytime soon.”

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can comply with her on X @SwapnaVenugopal.