President Donald Trump joined Second Lady Usha Vance on Thursday for a reading of the book “Presidents Play!” in the Oval Office. The event was part of a special edition of “Storytime with the Second Lady.” Trump offered humorous comments on the pastimes of former presidents during the session.
Trump sat beside Vance and read from the book by author Jonathan Pliska and illustrator John Hutton. The volume covers activities such as Lyndon B. Johnson’s toughness, Ronald Reagan’s fitness routine, Bill Clinton’s running track, Abraham Lincoln’s horseback rides, Gerald Ford’s swimming, and William Howard Taft’s baseball outings.
The president made several remarks during the reading. He said of Barack Obama, “I don’t know if he was a good basketball player. I tend to doubt it.” He also noted, “I don’t think I’ll ever do that” about Clinton’s track and joked about avoiding Taft’s weight record.
Vance thanked Trump for taking time to read, mentioning his 11 grandchildren. Trump replied that he would make viewing mandatory for them, though he added it would not guarantee their participation.
He closed by advising viewers to stay in good shape.
