How Barron's Life At 18 Stacks Up Against Trump Siblings When They Were His Age
At 59 years old, Donald J. Trump welcomed his fifth child, Barron William Trump, into the world on March 20, 2006. That would make him the first and only child for the businessman-turned-politician and his third wife, Melania Trump. "Everyone's perfect. She's really happy, and it's really great," Donald later gushed to People about the momentous occasion and Melania's transition into motherhood.
It's no secret that Barron shares a sizable age gap with his four older half-siblings. At the time of Barron's birth, Donald Trump Jr. was 28, Ivanka Trump was 24, Eric Trump was 22, and Tiffany Trump was 12. Ironically, at just a little over a year old, Barron became an uncle on May 12, 2007, when Don Jr. and his then-wife Vanessa Haydon welcomed a baby girl of their own, Kai Madison Trump. But aside from their considerable age differences, how exactly does Barron's life at 18 years old stack up to that of his big brothers and sisters when they were his age? Here's what we know.
Barron Trump doesn't attend a boarding school
At 18, Barron Trump is rounding out his high school education at the esteemed Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. Prior to his time at Oxbridge, he also attended Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan and St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland.
Conversely, Barron's older siblings, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, spent their senior years away from home at elite boarding schools. While Don Jr. and Eric were shipped off to The Hill School, a distinguished boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Ivanka resided at the prestigious Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. Don Jr. is adamant, however, that living away from home at a boarding school provided him with a much-needed respite from the prying eyes of the public and their high-profile family's security detail. "There was a time when my parents had a lot of security guards around. Again, one of those things that I probably rebelled against. And then, when I went to boarding school, it all kind of went away — all those inconveniences that I found obtrusive," he told New York Magazine in 2004.
It's still TBD which college Barron will attend, but his famous father told host Megyn Kelly that Barron was entertaining the idea of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Donald, Don Jr., Ivanka, and Tiffany Trump all graduated from the same distinguished business school.
Barron Trump's older siblings were making their own money at his age
One might argue that 18-year-old Barron Trump is somewhat lagging behind his older siblings when it comes to making his own moo-lah. During a 2019 appearance on "Fox & Friends," Donald Trump Jr. revealed that while away at boarding school, both he and Eric Trump were doing were working manual labor jobs. "I started off as a dock attendant. I joke we're the only sons of billionaires who can drive a D10 Caterpillar," he said.
As for Ivanka Trump, she also made her own money by moonlighting as a model. By the age of 18, Ivanka had already walked for many high fashion designers, including Enrico Coveri, Marc Bouwer, Paco Rabanne, and Thierry Mugler. Meanwhile, Barron's other big sister, Tiffany Trump, was also no stranger to making her own money at a young age. At 18 years old, Tiffany had already released her very own pop song, titled "Like a Bird." During a video for the Oprah Winfrey Network, Tiffany revealed that music had always been a passion of hers. "It's more of a hobby right now, but we'll see in a couple of years if I actually do want to take it to the next level — to a professional level. But right now, my priority is focusing on school and getting into a good college," she explained.
Barron Trump is less involved in his father's professional endeavors
Barron Trump's older siblings, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, grew up working in and on the Trump family businesses. "I would have thought they'd be more like figureheads, where they weren't involved with the day-to-day, but it was very much the opposite. At any time during the day, I would get a call from Eric or Ivanka saying, 'Let's talk about windows,'" general contractor Richard Huckestein told Vanity Fair in 2016. But that's not all. Barron's older siblings have also played high-profile and integral roles in their father's presidential campaigns and presidency.
Meanwhile, Barron has seemingly taken much more of a backseat role when it comes to his father's professional and political endeavors. Perhaps, however, Donald Trump has a different kind of future in mind for his youngest son — namely one that includes sports. "Barron's a very good athlete. He's very tall," the proud papa gushed during an appearance on "The Megyn Kelly Show." Still, it appears Barron prefers to put his athleticism to use on the soccer field — not the basketball court. During a recent campaign event on January 15 in Des Moines, the second-time presidential hopeful recalled a conversation wherein his youngest son set him straight. "I said you're gonna be a basketball player. He said, 'Well, I like soccer, Dad, actually.' I thought... at your height? I like basketball better, but you can't talk them into everything," the former president acquiesced.