US President Donald Trump made a special guest appearance on Storytime with the Second Lady, the children's literacy podcast hosted by Second Lady Usha Vance, in a Fourth of July edition recorded at the Oval Office. During the episode, Trump called Vance “so popular around the White House,” adding, “Everybody loves you.”

Inside the Oval Office Episode

The special Independence Day instalment saw Trump and Vance read from Presidents Play!, a children's book published by the White House Historical Association. Vance guided Trump through the illustrated book, with the pair discussing recreational habits of past US presidents, the history of the White House, and the value of reading for children.

Vance opened the episode by welcoming viewers to an unusual setting. “As you probably noticed, we’re not in our normal reading nook today. Instead, we’re actually across the street at the White House, where the President of the United States lives,” she said, introducing Trump as the day’s “special reader.”

What Trump Said

Trump described the Oval Office as “the most powerful piece of real estate probably in the world.” He also praised Vice President JD Vance, telling Usha Vance: “Your husband’s been a great vice president. I have to tell you, we’ve had a lot of fun working together, even in times of great stress, because the world is under stress, but we’re solving a lot of the problems.”

Trump closed his appearance by formally crediting the book’s publisher. “So here’s the book, and they’ve really done a great job. Publication, White House Historical Association,” he said, before turning to Vance: “And I’m doing this for a great Second Lady, and she’s been so popular around the White House. Everybody loves you. It’s a great honour.”

Vance returned the compliment, saying: “Well, it’s a great honour for us. Thank you so much for inviting all the children watching into the Oval Office today.”

The Grandchildren Joke

After Vance expressed hope that Trump’s grandchildren would tune in, Trump joked about making viewership mandatory for his 11 grandchildren. “I’ll make sure they watch. I’ll make it mandatory,” he said, before adding with a laugh: “That won’t mean anything, that means they still won’t do it.”

About Usha Vance and the Podcast

Usha Vance became the first Indian-American Second Lady of the United States after Vice President JD Vance took office in January 2025. A lawyer by training, she has made children’s literacy and education a signature theme of her public role. The Storytime with the Second Lady series features senior administration officials and other public figures reading children’s books to young audiences, and the Fourth of July episode marks one of its most high-profile instalments to date.

With the President himself joining the podcast, the series is poised to draw wider attention to Usha Vance’s literacy initiative as it heads into its next phase of programming.