Former US President Donald Trump has disclosed that his wife, Melania Trump, strongly disapproves of two of his most famous speech-making habits, deeming them distinctly "unpresidential." The revelation came during a lengthy address to Republican lawmakers at the GOP retreat in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, 6 January 2026.
A First Lady's Displeasure Revealed
During his speech, which touched on a range of topics, Trump revisited his contentious stance on transgender athletes in women's sports. As he began to physically mimic a female athlete struggling to lift a heavy barbell—a routine bit in his recent rallies—he abruptly paused to share a domestic critique. "My wife hates when I do this," Trump admitted to the assembled Republicans. He characterised the former First Lady as a "very classy person" who told him, "It's so unpresidential."
Trump's retort to his wife was that he "did become president." However, Melania's reported response was a firm, "Darling please, the weight-lifting is terrible." The president also revealed that she objects to his signature dance moves, typically performed to the Village People's "Y.M.C.A." at the end of his events. When Trump protested that his supporters "really like" the dancing, Melania allegedly countered, "They don't like it, they're just being nice to you."
Rallying the GOP Base Amid Midterm Fears
The disclosure prompted an uproar of laughter and reaction from the lawmakers gathered at the Trump-Kennedy Center. Undeterred by his wife's feedback, Trump proceeded to give an even more "effusive" performance of the weight-lifting skit, complete with exaggerated heavy breathing, a stuck-out tongue, and pretending to drop the imaginary weight.
The speech was strategically timed for the Republican retreat, held on the five-year anniversary of the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot, with the aim of energising the party ahead of a challenging 2026 midterm election cycle. Historically, the party controlling the White House often suffers losses in such elections, potentially jeopardising the GOP's majority in Congress. Trump framed his advice as a "roadmap to victory" filled with "good nuggets" for candidates to use.
Strategic Timing and Sporting Digressions
In a notable tactical aside, Trump advised lawmakers to keep the issue of transgender athletes in sport largely quiet until just before the election. "I want to start bringing up about a week before the election, because I don't want them to correct themselves," he stated, suggesting a late revelation would be a "devastating blow" for Democrats.
The former president's wide-ranging speech also included several digressions into sport, a topic he professed to love. He praised Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan's wrestling career but curiously commented on the improvement in his "cauliflower ear" over the years. Trump also discussed his passion for golf, insisting he plays "speed golf" and claiming, "I'm a good golfer." He lamented not playing often, despite spending most weekends at one of his own courses.
The event underscored the continued influence of Trump's distinctive, theatrical style on the Republican base, even as it draws a critical eye from his closest confidante. The contrast between the former First Lady's call for presidential decorum and the rally-style antics that galvanise his supporters remains a defining feature of his political persona.
