President Donald Trump told Second Lady Usha Vance he doesn’t read for fun in a video posted Thursday, except about himself, and downplayed any hobbies outside of office, as the president read a children’s book about past presidents and commented on his predecessors.
President Donald Trump reads a note during a roundtable meeting at the White House on Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington.
Trump participated in Vance’s “Storytime with the Second Lady” series where high-profile guests read a book to children, with the president choosing the book “President’s Play!” published by the White House Historical Association.
Vance asked Trump if he ever reads for fun, to which the president responded, “I end up reading mostly newspapers. I usually read stories about myself.”
Trump then commented on past presidents as he read through the book—often praising even Democratic presidents, like saying, “I like Bill Clinton a lot, still do” and calling President Jimmy Carter “a very nice man.”
