WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump joined second lady Usha Vance on her podcast where guests read picture books to children, but Trump, who is notorious for veering off script, offered a running commentary on his predecessors, his physique, and how he's spending his time in the White House.
In Trump's appearance on Vance's “Storytime with the Second Lady," podcast, which was posted online Friday, the president read “Presidents Play!” a children's book from the White House Historical Association that features illustrations of the presidents enjoying sports and using the White House and its grounds for recreation.
Trump pre-taped the appearance in mid-June in the White House's Oval Office, where the abundant gold accents he added were supplemented for the occasion with a bald eagle stuffed animal, tables made up of stacks of oversized books and a globe made out of Legos.
When Vance asked Trump if he has much time to read for fun while serving as president, he replied that he ends up mostly reading newspapers.
“I usually read stories about myself,” Trump said.
As Trump turned through the children's book, he made observations about past presidents, cracked some jokes, and threw in a plug for the extensive ballroom he's building on the White House grounds.
He described Lyndon Johnson as a “tough cookie," Ronald Reagan as a “high-quality person” and “like your father was president,” and John F. Kennedy as “the second-most good-looking president.” Left unsaid was who Trump felt was the best-looking president.
Richard Nixon, the only president to resign the office after he became embroiled in the Watergate scandal, “got himself into trouble, I guess.” Herbert Hoover, who was president during the Great Depression, was depicted in the book playing a game he made up called “Hoover Ball.”
“That worked out better for him than the economy," Trump quipped.
Barack Obama, who has been a longtime object of Trump's derision, was illustrated playing basketball.
Trump, calling him “Barack Hussein Obama," said he doubted Obama was a good basketball player. He then shared that Obama's favorite sport is golf, but added, "He won’t be in the Master’s anytime soon.”
When he reached a page with a drawing of Bill Clinton running on the jogging track the former president installed at the White House, Trump remarked, “I don’t think I’ll ever do that.”
But he added that he likes Clinton “a lot.”
Trump mused about riding a horse after seeing a picture of Abraham Lincoln riding one.
“That's great. I'd like to ride horses, too," Trump said. "In fact, it gives me an idea, but when you fall off a horse... I've seen too many things happen. Falling off horses is not good.”
The solution he suggested was “A nice old horse that's extremely slow, lazy" and that he would "maybe ride it.”
A picture of John Quincy Adams swimming in what was then the Tiber Creek that ran past the south lawn of the White House prompted Trump to remark, “I think we’re building a beautiful ballroom on top of it.”
Some of the other presidents' physical activity prompted some reflection on his own physique.
When he saw Gerald Ford swimming in a pool, Trump said: “I don’t know if I look good in a bathing suit. I haven’t had a bathing suit in a long time.”
William Howard Taft, who was known for his girth, “was our heaviest president,” Trump said.
“I have to be careful because I don’t want to supersede his record," Trump said. "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.”
In addition to encouraging young viewers to stay in shape, Trump offered a somewhat cloudy message when the second lady asked him for his advice to children on why they should celebrate the country on July 4th.
“We have a great country," Trump said. “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. And we're going to make America greater than ever before.”
FILE - President-elect Donald Trump, from right, talks with Usha Vance and Vice President-elect JD Vance, not pictured, before a service at St. John's Church, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
DENVER (AP) — Hunter Goodman certainly has a sharp eye for the strike zone these days.
That applies not only at the plate, where the Colorado Rockies catcher is crushing pitches of late, but behind it as well in winning Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) challenges with the best of them.
Goodman has 27 homers this season, which is tied with Hall of Famer Larry Walker (2001) for the most by a Rockies player before the All-Star break. Entering Friday, there's still 10 games remaining before the intermission, too, meaning more chances for Goodman to slip on that fake-fur purple coat the Rockies trot out for home run celebrations in the dugout.
Along with his power surge, Goodman's 45 ABS challenge wins rank fifth most among catchers. Goodman is building a compelling case on power numbers alone — he's hitting .243 with 50 RBIs — to be an All Star for a second straight season. Maybe even a possible Home Run Derby spot, too.
"It would be very entertaining. He’d hit a lot of homers,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said of his catcher appearing in the competition. “He wouldn’t get tired out. He’s built like a machine.”
Goodman's power is not just a Coors Field creation, either. Of his 27 homers, 18 have been hit away from the hitter friendly park. Walker has the team record for most road homers in a single season with 29 in 1997. The second highest on the list for road homers by a Rockies player is Nolan Arenado (2015) and Todd Helton (2001) with 22.
“When Goody's on the fastball, all things are well,” said Schaeffer, whose team hosts San Francisco this weekend with a chance to escape the basement of the NL West.
Goodman showed his prodigious power in Minnesota on June 27, when he slugged three homers that traveled a combined, Statcast-estimated distance of 1,257 feet. His long-ball barrage included one that wound up in the third deck at Target Field.
To make the moment even more meaningful, his father, Robert, happened to travel in for the game from Memphis, Tennessee.
“Pretty awesome,” said Goodman, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of the University of Memphis.
He remains on a roll in the batter's box, with six homers in his past six games. His 27 homers put him in some elite company among catchers. Since 1933, the only other players at the position who've hit that many or more before the All-Star break are Cal Raleigh (38 last season) and Johnny Bench (28 in 1970).
Both of those catchers played in that season's All-Star Game.
“It would be really cool” to make another All-Star team, said Goodman, who won a NL Silver Slugger Award at last season after hitting .278 with 31 homers and 91 RBIs. “Last year, I learned a lot, got to meet a lot of guys that have been really good in this game for a long time. So it definitely would be cool to go back.”
The only thing more locked in than his swing are his challenges. He's been reliable with picking and choosing when to tap his head to take a second look at a pitch. He's flipped a pitch called a ball into strike 3 a total of 15 times, which is tied for second most among catchers.
“It's honestly awesome that he has such a good eye with that, because obviously my point of view, my head's moving around, could be a little bit emotional,” right-hander Tanner Gordon explained. “He's got the best point of view. He's been great at it all year."
His secret?
“Knowing your pitchers and how their ball enters the strike zone,” Goodman said. “That's a huge part of it.”
Next on his agenda is trying to replicate what he did in June. His 13 homers last month were the most in the majors. He's just the second Rockies player to leave the yard at least 13 times in a calendar month, joining Troy Tulowitzki (15 homers in September 2010).
“A lot of guys tweak things in the cage every now and then,” said Goodman, who's taken up golf in his spare time and has a nine handicap. “This year, I feel like I’ve had better plans in the (batter's) box for the most part. I've been able to capitalize on that.”
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Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Sean Sullivan, right, hands the ball to manager Warren Schaeffer, left, as catcher Hunter Goodman, center, stands by as he is pulled form the mound after issuing a walk to Miami Marlins' Kyle Stowers in the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 29, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman reacts after striking out against Miami Marlins relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 29, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman (15) and Mickey Moniak celebrate after Moniak hit a home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
Colorado Rockies' Hunter Goodman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan)
