Trump says Melania ‘hates’ one of his rally routines, calls it ‘not presidential’
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Donald Trump has revealed that his wife, first lady Melania Trump, is not a fan of one of his rally routines, but that did not stop him from performing it again.
Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, August 5, the Republican brought up Melania’s reaction to his exaggerated mock weightlifting routine before doing the bit once again in front of a cheering crowd.
Trump: Melania hates it when I imitate the no men in women's sports. She hates it when I do the weightlifting. She said it's not presidential pic.twitter.com/iQpzXHYmmE
— FactPost (@factpostnews) August 5, 2026
Trump says Melania ‘hates’ his weightlifting routine
Trump told the crowd that Melania has repeatedly asked him to stop doing the weightlifting routine, which involves pretending to struggle while lifting an invisible barbell.
According to him, the first lady has described the performance as “terrible” and “not presidential.”
“She hates it when I imitate no men in women's sports, she hates it when I do the weightlifting,” Trump told supporters.
But rather than taking his wife's advice, Trump immediately went into the routine.
He pretended to strain under the weight of an invisible barbell and pulled an exaggerated facial expression as the crowd reacted.
Melania Trump has also reacted to his ‘YMCA’ dance
This is not the first time Trump has spoken publicly about Melania's reaction to his rally performances.
The president has previously said the first lady dislikes his stiff-armed dance routine to the Village People's “YMCA”, which has become a familiar part of his campaign appearances.
Trump Breaks Into YMCA Dance After Las Vegas Speech
— Washington Eye (@washington_EY) August 6, 2026
President Trump celebrated with supporters in Las Vegas following his remarks, drawing cheers as he danced to the iconic "YMCA" song and energized the crowd#WashingtonEye pic.twitter.com/fbJ35sDQMl
Trump has also quoted Melania as telling him, “Darling, please don't dance.”
Despite that, the dance has remained a regular feature at his events.
Trump mixes politics with a personal moment in Las Vegas
Trump's Las Vegas appearance was largely focused on politics and his administration's economic message. "The economy's the greatest economy we've ever had by far," the 80-year-old told the crowd at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa.
He promoted his “No Tax on Tips” policy directly to Las Vegas hospitality workers, an important voting group in the city.
Trump also rallied support for Republican candidates ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
