Trump wants Obama, Biden and Bush to watch football at White House: 'The press would go wild'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump unexpectedly floated the idea of inviting former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and George W Bush to the White House for a football watch party during a podcast appearance on Friday, July 3.

The remark marked a notably lighter tone toward political rivals he has frequently criticized in public. It also came after Obama, Biden, Bill Clinton, and Bush gathered at the opening of Obama's Presidential Center last month without Trump.

Trump proposes White House football gathering

The idea surfaced as Trump appeared on the latest episode of ‘Storytime with the Second Lady,’ hosted by Second Lady Usha Vance.

While flipping through ‘Presidents Play!’, a children's book published by the White House Historical Association, Trump paused on an illustration of a president hosting a Super Bowl viewing at the White House.

"Maybe I should invite Barack Hussein Obama, Joe Biden, with the Bushes — or Bush. Maybe I should invite some of those people to watch a football game together," Trump said.

He then joked about the media reaction, adding, "Wouldn't that be a nice story? The press would go wild."

The podcast features Usha Vance interviewing guests as they narrate books for children on YouTube.

Previous guests have included race car driver Danica Patrick and the Artemis II astronauts before Trump appeared on the latest episode.

Trump offers playful takes on past presidents

Rather than simply reading the book aloud, Trump mixed in personal observations and humorous commentary as he turned each page.

Looking at an illustration of former President William Howard Taft playing baseball, Trump said, "He was a large man, very large. And he loved baseball. He'd go to baseball games and loved the hot dogs at the baseball games."

He also joked about Taft's place in history, saying, "He was our heaviest president, and I have to be careful 'cause I don't want to supersede his record. And a thing like that would be possible if I allowed it to happen."

Trump followed that by encouraging viewers to stay in good shape.

Trump praises Bill Clinton

The conversation took another unexpected turn when Trump reached a page showing former President Bill Clinton jogging on a track built during his years in the White House.

"That's nice. I didn't even know that until recently, but he had a track built at the White House," Trump said.

"I don't think I'll ever do that. I don't see myself doing that. I don't know. But he actually was a nice guy. I like Bill Clinton a lot. I still do," he added.

Trump's comments contrasted with the sharper political rhetoric that has often defined his relationship with Obama and Biden.

His remarks also followed last month's gathering of Obama, Clinton, Biden, and Republican former President George W Bush at the opening of Obama's Presidential center, an event Trump did not attend after not being invited.