Watch: Trump shows off signature 'YMCA' dance moves with students at White House

Donald Trump showed students his signature dance on the White House South Lawn during a youth fitness event. The moment came as he announced the return of the Presidential Fitness Test and renewed his push on fitness and nutrition.

In Short

• The White House shared a video of students joining Trump's arm-pumping routine
• Trump signed the fitness memorandum before children, athletes and Cabinet officials
• The school programme began in 1956 and was replaced in 2012

US President Donald Trump briefly turned dance instructor on the White House South Lawn on Monday, showing students his trademark “Trump dance” during an event focused on youth fitness and sports.

A short video shared by the official White House account on X captured Trump performing the familiar arm-pumping routine, often seen at his campaign rallies, as the Village People’s hit song “YMCA” played in the background.

“SPOTTED: PRESIDENT TRUMP TEACHING THE TRUMP DANCE ON THE SOUTH LAWN ,” the White House wrote in its post.

The clip showed Trump smiling and gesturing through the dance moves while students joined in before he returned to the formal proceedings.

The moment came during an event where Trump announced the revival of the Presidential Fitness Test and signed a memorandum restoring the long-running school fitness programme that had been phased out during former president Barack Obama’s administration.

Addressing students and athletes gathered at the White House, Trump underscored the importance of physical fitness and sports.

“We’re thrilled to have so many young athletes here at the White House,” Trump said. “It is indeed a beautiful day to celebrate America’s athletic traditions and champions and physical fitness.”

The president also joked about his own exercise habits, saying, “I work out so much, like about one minute a day max if I’m lucky.”

RETURN OF PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST

The Presidential Fitness Test, first introduced in 1956, was replaced in 2012 with a programme focused more on long-term health and wellness rather than competitive benchmarks.

Announcing its return, Trump said the administration was once again making fitness a national priority.

“This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Council, and under my leadership, we are once again making fitness and nutrition national priorities,” Trump said in a proclamation posted on the White House website.

The move is tied to Trump’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” agenda and follows an earlier executive order reestablishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

The memorandum was signed in the Oval Office in the presence of schoolchildren, athletes and Cabinet officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

MELANIA NOT IMPRESSED BY TRUMP’S DANCE

Trump’s latest dance moment came days after he joked publicly that first lady Melania Trump does not approve of his signature moves, USA Today reported.

“She hates it when I dance, too,” Trump told a crowd at The Villages retirement community in Florida on May 1 while referring to his fist-pumping routine set to “YMCA.”

“We love that song,” Trump said. “But she goes, ‘Darling, please don’t dance. It’s not presidential.’”

Trump added that he brushed off the criticism by pointing to polling numbers. “It may not be presidential, but I’m leading by 20 points in the polls or something,” he said.

The Village People’s “YMCA” has become closely associated with Trump’s rallies and public appearances in recent years. Co-founder Victor Willis had earlier defended Trump’s use of the song, saying the president was “bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’” after initially objecting to it.

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