President Donald Trump shared candid details about his wife’s disapproval of two of his signature stage routines during a speech at the House GOP Member Retreat, revealing that First Lady Melania Trump finds both his dancing and weightlifting impressions decidedly “unpresidential.”
Speaking to Republican lawmakers at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the president admitted that his wife has repeatedly criticized his habit of breaking into dance moves at rallies and his theatrical mime of a weightlifter, which he uses to criticize transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Trump told the assembled House Republicans, describing Melania as a very classy person who considers his onstage antics beneath the dignity of the office. According to Trump, she has bluntly told him the behavior is not presidential.
Trump recounted how Melania challenged his defense of the routines by invoking historical precedent, asking if Trump could imagine FDR dancing. Trump revealed he was referring to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The president’s response to his wife’s criticism demonstrated his characteristic humor. Trump grinned as he told Republicans that he pointed out to Melania that FDR wouldn’t be dancing, referring to Roosevelt’s wheelchair use.
The dancing Trump referenced has become one of his most recognizable trademark moves at political rallies and public events. Trump dances to “YMCA” by the Village People at rallies, a routine that has become widely recognized.
Trump insisted to lawmakers that the crowd response proves his wife wrong about the reception. He said he told her that everybody wants him to dance, adding that when he performs the routine, the place goes crazy and they’re screaming “dance!”
But Melania remained unconvinced by her husband’s assessment of his popularity as a dancer, Trump said. He recalled that she said supporters don’t like it, they’re just being nice to him, dismissing her skepticism as he recounted the exchange to the Republican audience.
The first lady’s critique extends beyond the dancing to Trump’s weightlifting impression, a gesture he employs during speeches to illustrate his position on transgender participation in women’s athletics. Trump uses the weightlifting mime to criticize transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Trump quoted his wife as saying the weightlifting impression is terrible during his speech. Despite her objections, Trump demonstrated the impression for the GOP lawmakers, acting out like a weightlifter straining under a heavy barbell.
The meeting occurred on January 6, 2026, an anniversary that carried particular significance as it was held on the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot. Mike Johnson joined Trump at the retreat as Republican leadership gathered.
Trump defended his theatrical style by pointing to its apparent effectiveness. He said he did become president while doing these things, suggesting that his unconventional approach to political communication has proven successful despite his wife’s reservations about its appropriateness.
During the speech, Trump not only discussed his wife’s criticisms but proceeded to ignore her advice entirely. After initially offering a restrained version of the weightlifting mime, he decided to amplify the performance, sticking out his tongue, panting heavily, and acting exhausted before pretending to drop the imaginary barbell. The Republican lawmakers in attendance responded enthusiastically, cheering and applauding the demonstration.
The president’s willingness to defy his wife’s counsel became even more evident at the conclusion of his address. As his speech ended, Trump once again broke into his signature dance moves, performing the routine that Melania had specifically asked him to abandon as the gathered Republicans looked on.
Trump framed his remarks to the House GOP members as a strategic blueprint for the party. He called his remarks a roadmap to victory, positioning the gathering as an opportunity to prepare Republicans for upcoming electoral challenges while emphasizing his key policy positions.
The dynamic between the president and first lady that emerged from Trump’s account reveals a tension between Melania’s preference for traditional presidential decorum and Trump’s instinct for populist spectacle. While the first lady appears to value restraint and dignity befitting the office, the president continues to embrace theatrical gestures that energize his political base, even when explicitly told they undermine presidential gravitas.
The Trump presidency has consistently challenged conventional norms of presidential behavior, and his admission about Melania’s disapproval offers a rare window into how such decisions play out within the first family. The president’s account suggests that while he hears his wife’s objections to his performance style, he remains convinced that his unorthodox approach to political communication resonates more powerfully with supporters than traditional presidential restraint would.
Trump’s dancing has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has been copied by figures across the political spectrum and in popular culture. The distinctive arm movements and stiff-bodied swaying that characterize the president’s routine have become widely recognized.
Despite the first lady’s reported disapproval, Trump showed no indication during the House GOP retreat that he plans to modify his performance style. His decision to conclude the speech with the very dance routine Melania had criticized suggests the president remains committed to the theatrical approach that has defined his political career, regardless of whether it meets his wife’s standards for presidential behavior.
