At rallies and official events, Donald Trump’s stiff-armed shimmy has become as recognizable as his red tie. Supporters cheer. Music blares, often the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” And the president obliges, dancing his way on or off the stage.
But according to Trump himself, there is one very unimpressed audience member, his wife. Speaking to Republican lawmakers at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 6, President Donald Trump revealed that first lady Melania Trump strongly disapproves of his now-famous dance routines, and of another bit of political theater he refuses to retire.
The comments offered a rare, candid glimpse into how the first lady views her husband’s performance-heavy political style.
© Chip Somodevilla“My wife hates when I do this,” Trump told lawmakers. “She’s a very classy person, right? She said, ‘It’s so unpresidential.’ I said, ‘But I did become president.’”
Melania Trump was not present at the event, but he explained that the criticism extends beyond dancing. He said the first lady also dislikes his habit of pretending to lift weights on stage. “The weightlifting is terrible,” Trump quoted her as saying.
© Kevin DietschDespite her objections, Trump performed the weightlifting impersonation again during the Jan. 6 speech and capped off the event with a brief dance before exiting the stage.
Trump said Melania often frames her argument through history, specifically by invoking President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “She actually said, ‘Could you imagine FDR dancing?’ She said that to me,” Trump recalled.
© Anna MoneymakerTrump responded by offering his own historical aside. “I said there’s a long history that perhaps she doesn’t know, because he was an elegant fellow, even as a Democrat,” he said.
Roosevelt, paralyzed from the waist down due to polio, was rarely photographed in a wheelchair during his presidency, a detail Trump referenced while defending his point.
© Samuel Corum“But he wouldn’t be doing this,” as he raised his hands in the air. “But nor would too many others.” According to Trump, Melania’s frustration isn’t just about optics, it’s about whether the crowd’s enthusiasm is real.
“She said, ‘They don’t like it, they’re just being nice to you,’” Trump told the audience. “I said, ‘That’s not right. The place goes crazy. They’re screaming, ‘Dance, please!’”
© ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDSHe insisted that while the weightlifting bit may be a step too far, the dancing is genuinely beloved. “Now I have to say this. The dancing, they really like,” he said.
Trump’s dancing has become a hallmark of his political appearances. During the 2024 campaign, he routinely opened and closed events by dancing, and this habit has continued into his presidency.
© Tomohiro OhsumiIn October 2024, during a town hall in Pennsylvania, Trump famously danced and swayed onstage for 39 minutes after opting not to take additional audience questions.
The moment even followed him to global events, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5, 2025.
Despite acknowledging Melania's opinions on his dance moves, Trump made clear he has no plans to stop.
