The Parent Who Wants To Keep Barron Trump Out Of The Spotlight
The Trumps are one of the most well-known families worldwide — for better or worse. While the patriarch, former president Donald Trump, remains outspoken, other members of the family are more reserved. His youngest son, Barron Trump, for instance, rarely makes waves in the media.
Barron does not give public interviews, and even when he appears with his parents, he typically remains silent. However, this didn't exclude him from the criticisms the rest of his family faced. At only 10, Barron himself became the subject of intense scrutiny after his father's polarizing political career began. Even now, he still faces online harassment, including mockery of his 6-foot-7 frame (via The U.S. Sun).
Despite all the press he gets, the now-teenage Barron still remains an enigma. Though his lower profile is partially a virtue of his age, one of Barron's parents made a conscious effort to keep him out of the spotlight.
Melania Trump tries to protect son Barron from the spotlight
When considering a career in politics, few presidential hopefuls consider the effect that the office will have on their children. Donald Trump was no exception; however, his wife, Melania Trump, was. Around the time of the 2016 election, she made it clear to ABC News that her "priority is [her] son, Barron, [their] son, Barron."
"I teach him, I explain to him so he knows what's going on," Melania explained to the outlet. She then added that her goals are to "keep him balanced" while keeping his "childhood as normal as possible." Like many kids, Barron liked to focus on "his school and his sports," not necessarily his father's campaign.
In an attempt to keep Barron "out of the spotlight," Melania chose to remain in New York City. She and Barron did not move into the White House until June 2017, per the Associated Press. Since then, she has largely made good on her promise to shield her son from the public.
Inside Donald Trump's relationship with Barron Trump
Barron and Melania Trump have a tight bond, but the youngest member of the former first family is on more neutral terms with his father, Donald Trump. Though they've never badmouthed each other, Donald turned heads when he referred to Barron as Melania's son, "a beautiful young man." While the comment — reported by Vox's Aaron Rupar — wasn't inherently rude, referring to Barron in a way that implied Donald was not his father remains a bizarre choice.
Interestingly, ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl once revealed a strange encounter he had with the former president, during which he referred to Barron. After Karl made it clear that he was indifferent to Donald attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the latter mocked him for being "too cool," then told the reporter about how Barron refuses to say he loves his father out loud. Karl wrote that he found it strange for Donald to be "comparing [Karl's] lack of excitement about his possible appearance at the White House Correspondents Dinner, with his son's reluctance to say out loud that he loved him."
Granted, most teenagers aren't very affectionate with their parents; however, combining that awkward story with Donald's odd description of Barron paints a weird picture of their dynamic. The public took notice of Donald's unusual statement, with some tweeting jokes about Barron's parentage and others mocking his name (via The Hill). In response, Melania wrote: "A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics."
What Barron Trump's life has been like post-White House
For Barron Trump, life at the White House was a low-key affair. Instead of attending the typical choice for first children, Sidwell Friends, he went to St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland, per Town & Country. He only made public appearances on rare occasions, such as the 2018 White House Easter Egg Roll and during the solar eclipse.
Since leaving Washington, Barron has maintained his low profile. He attends Oxbridge Academy, a private school in Palm Beach, Florida. Discussing Barron's presence at the school, Scott Siegfried, the school's director of advancement, told People that the faculty "look forward to welcoming him into our school and community." He then added that the Secret Service were "fantastic" and "have little impact on our day-to-day operations." Barron joined the school's class of 2024.
Aside from school, the teenager enjoys golf and is something of a sneakerhead. According to Yahoo! News, his mother, Melania Trump, revealed he's "all into sports," but otherwise, little is known about Barron. Given his age, maybe that's all we should know about him — regardless of who his parents are.