Former Presidents Were Buried In Intelligence Briefings, Speeches. Now, Some Think The Current President Can’t Even Read…

Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. Public Domain.

Actually Doing The Job

When it comes to doing the job, Donald Trump may be the most visibly disengaged president in modern history.

For decades, Americans have grown accustomed to a familiar image of their president: sleeves rolled up, brow furrowed, eyes scanning dense documents late into the night. Whether it was Barack Obama revising speeches, Reagan scribbling presidential priorities on postcards and sticky notes, or even John F Kennedy trying to read intelligence reports while his kids climbed all over the Oval Office furniture, the performance of the presidency—at a minimum—involved looking like you were doing at least some of the work.

With Donald Trump, that image has been replaced by something altogether different: a man standing behind a podium, surrounded by flags, giving a loosely scripted press conference; a man holding court at Mar-a-Lago; a man at a golf course, grinning in a red cap. While his predecessors were photographed reading, writing, or consulting in intimate meetings, Trump is most often seen giving statements, calling people names, or hurling slogans from golden-lit ballrooms. The question isn’t just whether he’s working hard—it’s whether he’s working at all.

"It's always interesting to see how involved the President is with editing his speeches. A few hours before his first nationally televised address to the nation, the President works on edits with aides Carol Browner, David Axelrod, and Jon Favreau in the Outer Oval Office." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza, Public Domain)

Former Precedent

There’s little evidence that Trump reads his briefings, or even skims them. Former aides have said they had to rely on images and bullet points to hold his attention. He’s been known to ignore key reports, wave off intelligence, or make decisions based on “gut instinct” rather than policy analysis. This is not spin—it’s testimony from his own former staff, cabinet members, and intelligence officers. Where other presidents immersed themselves in the complexities of policy and international diplomacy, Trump seems more invested in headlines and optics.

Even George W. Bush—hardly revered as an intellectual—was photographed regularly with his nose in briefing books. Obama reportedly read 10 letters from Americans every night and often annotated his briefing materials. Bill Clinton’s insatiable reading habits were legendary. These presidents didn’t just act the part—they knew the part required effort. They respected the role. Trump, by contrast, behaves less like a commander-in-chief and more like the host of a perpetual press tour, forever selling a product whose actual substance remains unclear.

What we see now is the presidency as performance, stripped of the machinery of governance. Trump doesn’t want to govern—he wants to appear dominant. He wants the trappings of power without the burdens of the job. He’s not poring over budgets or struggling through complex legislative frameworks. He’s livestreaming, name-dropping, golfing, and basking in applause from rooms filled with loyalists. If you asked most Americans to picture him “at work,” what image comes to mind? For many, it's not a resolute desk or a policy meeting—it’s a microphone and a spotlight.

Critics have gone so far as to question whether Trump reads at all. It’s not a petty jab—his aversion to books, reports, and even teleprompters is well documented. He doesn’t reference books, history, or law with any familiarity. And for someone with the nuclear codes, that’s not just alarming—it’s dangerous.

Screenshot of a BBC Twitter post showing King Charles III’s letter being passed.

Can Donald Trump Even Read?

Among the many rumors that swirl around Donald Trump, one of the most persistent—and damning—is the idea that he can’t, or simply doesn’t, read. Whether it’s true or just a reflection of his extreme disdain for the details of governance, the gossip has stuck—and it’s one of the most unflattering shadows cast over his presidency. For right now it exists strictly as gossip, however, here are two uncomfortable examples of his potential difficulties with reading.

One example occurred during a meeting between Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington in February of 2025. The meeting resulted in an “unprecedented” invitation to the U.S. president from Britain’s King Charles III. Trump appeared to read the letter silently, then handed it back to Starmer, asking him to read it aloud for the audience. The moment sparked widespread online gossip, fueling further speculation that he simply can’t read.

In another example, Donald Trump served as the guest host of the November 7, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live. An article on the Atlanta Black Star describes how in Pete Davidson’s 2016 interview with Opie Radio, Davidson began by telling the hosts, “He doesn’t really know how to read, and he loves to improv.” Hosts on SNL appear in nearly every sketch, making it a highly demanding role. Table reads are a regular part of the host’s responsibilities, requiring concentration and focus. The interview goes on to share anecdotes about Donald Trump’s inability to comprehend basic English grammar during these sessions.

The point of this article is not to confirm or deny whether or not he can read. What matters is that, regardless of his ability, he shows little interest in actually doing it. Time and again, he’s demonstrated a preference for consuming information through television rather than engaging with detailed briefings, intelligence reports, or investigative journalism.

Former staffers and government workers have described a White House culture where information had to be reduced to visuals and slogans just to hold his attention. A NY Post article even describes how, during a public meeting, NY Governor Kathy Hochul explained that she had to produce a picture book just to explain congestion pricing to him. “Big words, nice colors,” Hochul said, as the audience giggled. The picture book flashed by Hochul during the meeting included phrases clearly designed to flatter the hyperbole-prone Trump, such as “big, beautiful Penn Station.”

In an era where critical decisions hinge on nuance, depth, and context, Trump’s aversion to reading isn’t just a personal quirk—it’s a fundamental rejection of the work that underpins competent leadership.

What Are We Left With?

The presidency, at its core, is a job. A hard one. And for all the theatrics Trump thrives on, what we’re left with is a glaring absence of presidential labor. No stacks of notes, no pen-scribbled drafts, no late-night lights on in the West Wing. Just cameras, rallies, and golf.

It’s not that Americans expect perfection—but they do expect at least a little bit of effort. And increasingly, it looks like the only thing Trump is working hard at is avoiding the job entirely. If the president was hired and fired like most public servants, he would have been laid off at the peak of DOGE’s budget cuts.