Media Moments Barron Trump Can Never Erase
Growing up comes with its own unique set of challenges and being raised in the spotlight only makes it tougher. Add to that a polarizing political element and things become especially difficult. That was the reality Barron Trump had to experience first-hand. Donald Trump's youngest son was just 10 when his headline-making father ran for president and, at only 11, he moved into the White House and under the media microscope.
Despite being raised in quite a lavish living situation with access to anything and everything his heart could desire, money wasn't enough to protect him from endless scrutiny. Yes, he strategically missed numerous major events during his dad's presidency, but cameras still tried to capture every move they could and, in doing so, immortalized a number of headline-making media moments Barron will never be able to erase. Some were funny, others not so much, but in every case, they're sure to live on in internet infamy for decades to come.
The 2016 RNC put him to sleep
Barron Trump has often been compared to his father, even by his own mom. In 2013, Melania Trump confessed to ABC News, "I call him 'Mini-Donald.'" Indeed, when a 10-year-old Barron showed up at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July 2016, he looked like a miniature version of the future president. He donned a suit that looked just like his dad's and was initially all smiles, per MailOnline, as he fist-bumped his older half-brother, Donald Trump Jr. and hugged older half-sister Tiffany Trump. Then, things went south.
Despite their similar fashion sense and reportedly strong bond, Barron isn't always impressed by Donald, and he has a hard time hiding it. During Donald's lengthy RNC speech, Barron could be seen fighting off boredom, and sleep. Cameras captured his every move as he yawned, hung his head in his hands, and tried his best to keep his eyes open.
At other times, he was laser-focused on picking lint off his seat and was also caught nodding off and playing with his hair while staring into space. Barron also struggled through Ivanka's speech and tried to keep busy by fiddling with his tie and a water bottle. As the crowd cheered, he rubbed his eyes and looked seriously pained, earning a death stare from Melania. The struggle was real for the pre-teen and it soon went viral with ABC News poignantly proclaiming, "Barron Trump seemed to want to be anywhere but the RNC."
He was not having it on Inauguration Day
Anyone who thought Barron Trump's antics at the 2016 RNC were funny was in for a real treat on Inauguration Day. While the newly sworn in President Donald Trump addressed the nation for the first time, his youngest son again struggled to fight back his yawns. The youngster's face said it all as he did his best to be attentive and listen to his dad's 16-minute inaugural speech, but ended up looking seriously bored and all-around disinterested in the momentous occasion. His expressions soon went viral and, surprisingly, Twitter was 100% behind him. "As someone who once was a ten-year-old, I can confirm that #BarronTrump is thinking of a hundred things he would rather be doing right now," tweeted one supporter while another suggested, "Can somebody please toss Barron Trump a Game Boy or something?"
The only one who could capture Barron's attention that day was baby Theodore, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's son. While Donald Trump signed his cabinet nominations into law, his family stood right behind him and Barron was caught in an unexpectedly sweet exchange, playing peek-a-boo with his baby nephew.
The high five fail seen around the world
Barron Trump wasn't just visibly bored by his father's lengthy inauguration speech, he was also not impressed with his mom's attempts to be a cool parent. As Melania Trump and her son watched Donald address the nation, they engaged in what News.com.au dubbed "one of the greatest high five fails in history." Indeed, in what would become the ultimate viral moment of the day, Melania tried to high-five Barron and clearly, he was appalled. Rather than going with the flow, the 10-year-old outright refused to high-five his mom, then made a vigorous swatting gesture as if to show his displeasure and demand she stop immediately. Instead, Melania laughed at the brush-off and raised her hand again, seemingly teasing her son. As you would expect from a pre-teen, Barron was not laughing and when his mom turned around, he again swatted the air behind her back in what appeared to be pure annoyance.
But that wasn't the only headline-making exchange the pair had that day. While walking in the parade that followed the swearing in, Melania could be seen reaching for her son's hand. You can guess what happened next: Barron quickly snatched his hand away and swiftly walked on without deigning to look at his mom.
Melania Trump's caviar moisturizer confession
It should come as no surprise that Barron Trump has grown up enjoying an insanely lavish life. From gold-covered living quarters to high-end designer clothes and the very best private schools, nothing is too good for Donald Trump's youngest child. Even his skincare routine is of the highest standards, as Melania Trump revealed in 2013. That was the year she launched a five-product beauty collection called Melania Caviar Complexe C6 and, as she told CBS News, she believed in her products so much, she used them on a seven-year-old Barron.
The various creams cost between $50 and $150 and what set them apart was the inclusion of caviar in each formulation. However, they weren't reserved for A-listers or high-end clients. As Melania told ABC News, she was in the habit of using her Caviar Complex C6 moisturizer on Barron after his bath every single night. "It smells very, very fresh," she enthused. "I put it on him from head to toe – he likes it!" It's a cheeky confession Barron may not appreciate following him while in high school or college, but then again, he's always marched to the beat of his own posh drum. As Melania mused at the time, "He's not a sweatpants child."
The time his dad accidentally called him Melania's son
Donald Trump is said to have a loving relationship with Barron Trump, but you wouldn't know that from a speech he delivered back in September 2019. The president was joined by Melania Trump as he spoke to reporters about the growing popularity of vaping and its dangers, especially among children and young adults. "We can't allow people to get sick, and we can't have our youth be so affected," he said. The press call was supposed to be an opportunity to talk about a newly announced push to get the FDA to ban flavored e-cigarettes. As Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar explained, per the FDA, "We intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools, and communities."
It was a noble initiative, but soon, the headlines became all about Donald's parenting as he found a novel way of referring to Barron. While explaining that the issue was important to Melania because it hit close to home, he said, "That's how the First Lady got involved: She's got a son – together – that is a beautiful young man, and she feels very, very strongly about it." Folks immediately noticed that he said "she" and not "we" and as one Twitter user noted, it wasn't exactly a sweet slip-up. "Bet that makes Barron feel all warm and fuzzy," they mused.
When people kept freaking out about his height
In a family that takes pride in their height, Barron Trump comes out on top – literally. As Donald Trump told supporters at a June 2021 GOP event in North Carolina, his youngest had officially become the tallest person in the family. "Barron is 6-foot-7, can you believe it?" he enthused, per New York Post. That July, folks saw the 15-year-old's impressive height first-hand thanks to a viral photo of him leaving Trump Tower with mom Melania Trump and absolutely towering over her. Twitter immediately encouraged him to pursue an NBA career with one person pointing out, per indy100, "He's gonna keep growing until he is about 20, so we might be looking at the next @SHAQ here." That may never be, though. While Melania previously said he's "all into sports," per SCMP, it seems soccer has his heart, as he's played for multiple youth teams.
That wasn't the first (or last) time that Barron's height got folks talking. On Mother's Day 2021, a photo of Barron posing with a fan at Mar-a-Lago took the internet by storm because the woman in the picture didn't even reach his armpit. That same pic then went viral again in June 2022, although this time, the commentary was more cruel. "Barron Trump looks like two kids in a trench coat," wrote B.W. Carlin while another user critiqued, "This photo looks fake." The mockery didn't end there, as some haters compared him to SpongeBob and "Succession" character Greg Hirsch, per The U.S. Sun.