President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a lighthearted moment with Republican lawmakers, revealing that first lady Melania Trump is not a fan of his now-famous campaign rally dance moves—though he made clear that voters seem to feel otherwise.
Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat at the Kennedy Center, Trump recounted conversations with the first lady about his tendency to dance onstage at political events, a routine that has become a signature feature of his public appearances.
“My wife hates when I do this,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience.
“She’s a very classy person, right? She said, ‘It’s so unpresidential.’ I said, ‘but I did become president.’ … She hates when I dance. I said, ‘Everybody wants me to dance.’”
Trump continued, quoting Melania Trump’s concerns about tradition and decorum.
“‘Darling, it’s not presidential,’” he said, recounting her words.
The president’s dancing—often set to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” or Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”—became a hallmark of his 2024 campaign rallies. Trump routinely opened or closed events by dancing on stage, usually making a fist, shimming his arms, and pointing toward supporters in the crowd. The moments frequently went viral online and were embraced by supporters as a symbol of Trump’s unfiltered personality and connection with everyday Americans.
Trump has previously spoken publicly about Melania Trump’s disapproval of the routine. At a 2023 rally in Iowa, he told supporters she had warned him against dancing offstage.
“She said, ‘Darling, I love you, I love you, but this is not presidential. You don’t dance off the stage. This is not presidential,’” Trump recalled at the time.
On Tuesday, Trump said the first lady had even invoked historical precedent, arguing that past presidents maintained a more reserved public image.
“She actually said, ‘Could you imagine FDR dancing,’” Trump told lawmakers.
Trump responded by acknowledging the contrast between eras, while still defending his approach.
“There’s a long history that perhaps she doesn’t know because he was an elegant fellow, even as a Democrat,” Trump said of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “He was quite elegant, but he wouldn’t be doing this. But nor would too many others.”
Still, Trump emphasized that times—and politics—have changed, and that modern voters respond to authenticity more than formality.
“But she said, ‘Darling, please, the weightlifting is terrible,’” Trump added, referring to another form of physical impersonation he sometimes uses onstage. “And I have to say this, the dancing, they really like.”
According to Trump, Melania Trump remains unconvinced that audiences genuinely enjoy the performances.
“She said, ‘They don’t like it. They’re just being nice to you,’” he recalled.
“I said, ‘That’s not right,’” Trump added.
The comments came as Trump was discussing broader cultural and political issues, including his criticism of biological males competing in women’s sports—remarks that continue to resonate strongly with his conservative base. Trump has previously noted that the first lady also disapproves of his onstage imitations of weightlifters, which he has used to make points about strength, fairness, and gender differences.
While Melania Trump may prefer a more traditional presidential image, Trump made clear that he believes his unorthodox approach is part of why millions of Americans continue to support him.
As he put it plainly: the voters like it—and he’s not stopping anytime soon.
