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Music News: Donald Trump Claims He Played—Wait for It—the Flute?!
In a recent interview appearance, U.S. President Donald Trump casually dropped the bombshell that he used to take flute lessons as a kid. Yep, the same man known for campaign rallies and controversial soundbites now claims he had a musical side—one delicately tuned to the lilting tones of a flute.
So naturally, we here at Classic 107 had to investigate. Because if Trump was once destined for the woodwind section, who else among America’s commanders-in-chief had a hidden (or not-so-hidden) musical streak?
Turns out, the White House has had more jam sessions than you'd think.
🎶 Founding Fathers with Fiddles
Let’s start at the top—Thomas Jefferson wasn’t just penning the Declaration of Independence, he was also tearing it up on the violin. He practiced for three hours a day as a child and even won the heart of his future wife with his virtuoso skills. Rivals literally left her doorstep in defeat after hearing Jefferson playing a duet from the next room. Forget campaign ads—Jefferson knew how to string voters along.
🎹 Piano Men in Power
Harry Truman, who ended World War II and desegregated the military, also had a soft side for the ivories. He reportedly got up at 5 a.m. every morning as a child to practice piano, and never lost the habit.
And then there’s Richard Nixon, whose PR team could never quite shake off Watergate long enough to highlight his… surprisingly impressive musical chops. Nixon was a classically trained pianist and composer. He also played the accordion, violin, saxophone, and clarinet. The man was practically a one-man orchestra with executive privilege.
🎷 Clinton and the Cool Factor
Bill Clinton famously turned a lot of heads with his saxophone solo on The Arsenio Hall Show during the 1992 campaign. It was a pop culture moment that helped make him seem younger, hipper—and more relatable than his competitors. He even had a dedicated music room in the White House.
🎻 A Musical Tradition in the White House
Music has long had a place in presidential history. John Quincy Adams played the flute. Abraham Lincoln and John Tyler both played the violin. Chester A. Arthur was known to pick up the banjo. Calvin Coolidge and Ronald Reagan each played the harmonica.
They may not have taken their talents on tour, but these presidents all had a musical side—proof that the path to the Oval Office doesn’t always march to the beat of a drum.
So, Back to Trump…
According to the interview, Trump took an aptitude test as a kid that revealed a musical gift. His mother encouraged him to take lessons, and for a time, he had a private flute instructor. “I didn’t particularly like it,” he confessed. “It wasn’t for me.”
Still, he claims he could remember musical notes hours after hearing them, and that his teachers were convinced he could have been “an incredible musician.” Alas, history had other plans.
Final Notes
Whether it’s a child prodigy on the piano, a sax-playing showman, or a maybe-sorta-former flutist, music has always been part of the presidential story. While some leaders composed, others preferred to simply hit the right note with voters.
And in the case of Donald Trump, we may never hear a flute solo—but it sure makes for one heck of a headline.