Inside Barron Trump's Life Today
The last time an American president had a son growing up in the White House, The Beatles were an unknown Liverpool band, and the Berlin Wall had only begun construction. That boy was John F. Kennedy, Jr., son of the iconic JFK, of course. The year was 1961.
Not until 2017 would another young man grace 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. A long string of older presidents like Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan had mostly grown children. George W. Bush had only daughters. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, too. But finally, after nearly 60 years, Barron Trump — side by side with parents Donald and Melania Trump — uneasily made his way to the White House.
Barron was only 10 years old on his first day as first son, looking understandably overwhelmed by the Inauguration Day crowds and pomp. He's kept a low profile since then. And while the world has now started to notice the burgeoning and handsome young man who formerly resided in the people's house, he's obviously doing his best to navigate a very strange situation to which very few people alive can relate. First kids have a lot on their plate, close as they are to the nasty business of grown-up politics, and they don't always come out unscathed. So, Barron Trump's life today, despite his parents' best efforts to keep him protected, is somewhat complicated.
Barron Trump got COVID-19
It was major news when Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 following his presidential debate with Democrat candidate Joe Biden in September 2020. But the infection was part of a larger outbreak at the White House that afflicted many staff. Unfortunately, both Melania Trump and young Barron Trump also came down with the disease, according to The Washington Post.
After Melania got the news about her diagnosis, she had the same reaction as any mother. "Naturally my mind went immediately to our son," Melania shared while recapping her experience with coronavirus via the White House's website. "Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms," she added. The former model went on to write about the bonding family experience of this incredibly scary event: "In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative."
Barron had been attending a K-12 private school in the Washington D.C. area called St. Andrew's Episcopal School since 2017, where he was set to begin his freshman year at the time. Due to COVID-19 concerns, though, the school began the year online-only, implementing a plan for in-person academics starting in October 2020. It was a weird beginning to high school for young Barron, but he would thankfully get to reunite with his friends and with the confidence of some immunity.
The youngest Trump kid is really tall now
When Barron Trump emerged from Air Force One with his father, Donald Trump, in August 2020 — for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began — it was hard to believe how incredibly tall he'd gotten. It felt like just yesterday, a 10-year-old Barron was accompanying his presidential dad on Inauguration Day. Well, watch out pops, there's a new man of the house.
Barron's height is not exactly known — so comparisons are in order. Donald's doctor claims he stands at 6'3", according to USA Today. At one time, perhaps this was true: This Nicki Swift scribe used to cover "The Apprentice" press conferences at Trump Tower, and no doubt, former POTUS Trump is a large and imposing man. Someone standing 6'1" was definitely looking somewhat up at him. But at age 74 in 2020, it's plausible gravity may have done him dirty, as a more recent photo from the G7 summit shows The Donald appearing shorter than the credibly 6'2" Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
So, let's say 6'0" even for POTUS 45 as a minimum. That still makes Barron's towering appearance next to his own tall father almost unbelievable. Melania Trump is supposedly 5'11", so the speculation was that Barron, only 14 at the time, was already 6'6"! That's the same height as NBA GOAT Michael Jordan. Most boys keep growing until about age 16, according to Healthline. And by that point, Barron was estimated to be 6'7" — making him the tallest Trump.
Barron Trump was under attack
Many among the mainstream media, Hollywood celebrities, and academia hold disdain for Donald Trump. That's not exactly a secret — and the feeling is definitely mutual. But unfortunately, some have dragged an innocent child into things.
Even before Barron Trump was in the White House, Rosie O'Donnell was criticized for baselessly insinuating that he was autistic. In 2020, Jezebel appeared to frame the then-president's affection for his son as, well, odd, with the headline: "Trump Calls Son Barron 'Tall' and 'Handsome' In Bizarre Ramble." Speaking of Barron's quick recovery from COVID-19, The Donald did get somewhat Seussian, saying, "My Barron. My tall Barron. He's very tall. My beautiful Barron. Handsome. He is handsome. But my beautiful Barron had it. He recovered, like, so fast." But expressing love for your own child is apparently not that "bizarre," as the site later changed its headline following mild backlash.
During DJT's 2019 impeachment hearing, Barron got another unfortunate shoutout. Stanford Law professor Pamela Karlan said in her testimony, "So while a president can name his son Barron, he can't MAKE him a Barron." The joke bombed, however, as it turns out entering a 13-year-old boy into the impeachment record wasn't that necessary. Melania Trump hit back on Twitter, and Karlan apologized later in the hearing with, "It was wrong of me to do that," but couldn't get through the mea culpa without another shot at Barron's father: "I wish the president would apologize for the things that he's done that's wrong, but I do regret having said that."
Donald and Melania Trump's son beat a Hollywood bully
Actor Peter Fonda was a counter-culture icon in the 1960s. He wrote and starred in the groundbreaking 1969 cult classic "Easy Rider" about three stoner hippies motorcycling aimlessly across America — only to be pointlessly gunned-down by rifle-toting rednecks with bad teeth.
Fonda and sister Jane Fonda — who infamously posed for a regrettable photo op with communist militants in a misbegotten protest of the Vietnam War — are none-the-less progressive icons. But in 2018, Peter took his disdain for conservatives out on a child, tweeting in all caps, "WE SHOULD RIP BARRON TRUMP FROM HIS MOTHER'S ARMS AND PUT HIM IN A CAGE WITH PEDOPHILES AND SEE IF MOTHER WILL STAND UP AGAINST THE GIANT A**HOLE SHE IS MARRIED TO..."
An outraged Melania Trump reported Peter Fonda to the secret service, according to People. Donald Trump was justifiably angry, too. Realizing that young Barron Trump was obviously not involved in a controversial zero-tolerance US-Mexico border policy, Peter Fonda issued an apology (via CBS News): "I went way too far. It was wrong and I should not have done it." For his part, Barron never had to say a word.
The White House told the media to back off of Barron Trump
Peter Fonda wasn't the first entertainment figure to take a swipe at the president's youngest son. On the day of Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017, a veteran "Saturday Night Live" writer named Katie Rich tweeted that the then-10-year-old Barron Trump "will be the country's first homeschool shooter."
As swift backlash engulfed Rich, she deleted the tweet and later apologized: "I deeply regret my actions & offensive words. It was inexcusable & I'm so sorry." However, the damage was done, and Rich was suspended from "SNL" indefinitely — though she returned to the show that August.
At the time, the White House felt like it needed to take a stand and back off the Barron bashers. "It is a longstanding tradition that the children of presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight," the statement read, as noted by Business Insider. "The White House fully expects this tradition to continue. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter."
Chelsea Clinton came to Barron Trump's defense
If anyone knows what it's like growing up in the White House, it's Chelsea Clinton. "I've had so much vitriol flung at me for as long as I can literally remember, people saying awful things to me even as a child," she told The Guardian in 2018. The daughter of POTUS 42 was only 12 years old when her dad, Bill Clinton, took over the Oval Office.
The late conservative radio goliath Rush Limbaugh immediately compared Chelsea to a dog, in at least two separate instances, according to Snopes. There's even video receipts. Limbaugh later made a sneering faux apology where he went further: "She may be the most unattractive presidential daughter in the history of the country." Wow. "Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly?" the late Senator John McCain also allegedly quipped in 1998 to a group of fundraisers. "Because Janet Reno is her father." This remark comes via The Guardian, only because The Washington Post thought it "too vile to repeat."
For her part, Chelsea took to her Facebook page in 2017 to defend Donald Trump's youngest son, writing, "Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does — to be a kid." She went further on the "Jemele Hill is Unbothered" podcast, saying (via the Independent) that she feels "very protective" of Barron, adding, "Don't objectify this kid. I think he just turned 14. ... I have a whole lot of sympathy for any critiques, criticism, pain, anger you want to hurl at his parents. But leave him alone."
Barron Trump is a man of the world
Anyone who has tried to bang their head against a wall learning a foreign language as an adult envies the advantage of having a mother like Melania Trump. The former first lady was born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, and began working as a model in Milan, Paris, and New York in the 1990s. Because of that international lineage, Barron Trump grew up in a worldly household. "He talks three languages," Melania told People in 2009. "He speaks my language — Slovenian — English and French."
Being trilingual has also provided a blooming Barron some small measure of privacy in the White House, even with the watchful Secret Service always skulking. Melania's parents also spend a lot of time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, doting on their grandson. When that side of Barron's family is together, they all speak Slovenian, according to author Mary Jordan in her book "The Art of Her Deal" (via CBS News). "And it's kind of interesting," writes Jordan, "the Secret Service has no idea what they're saying."
He's a sneakerhead
Barron Trump the hype beast? Well, kinda. Barron has his absolute go-to sneakers, and it's definitely a chic and understated retro look: the New Balance 574 Core, usually in black, according to Footwear News. The kicks only run about $80, but this former first kid has them in a variety of colors, like a true sneakerhead. Barron usually pairs them with neat black slacks and a little pop of color in a fitted bomber, like his favorite green Alpha Industries Skymaster — which can be had by anyone with Amazon Prime for $150.
But that's not to say Barron won't step it up a little. He strode off Air Force One in August 2020, towering over father Donald Trump, as per usual, with an even more vintage, 50's-style bomber from Moncler. The jacket, with a signature black patch, goes for nearly $800. Barron even appeared to bump up the sneaker game at the time with these low-profile Italian kicks called The Lucente, which retail for about $228.
Barron Trump was a very swaggy baby
Everyone still talks about that incredible fruit salad your Aunt Genie brought to your christening. What a blessed affair. Barron Trump, on the other hand, had mega celebrities dropping off swag.
Ellen DeGeneres, known to give a gift or two, sent Melania Trump this insanely ornate gilded stroller, complete with its own crystalline chandelier. Featured in a comically air-brushed photo spread of Donald Trump and his third wife with their new arrival, per People, the future first lady was gaga for the on-brand gift: "It's fun, it makes you laugh." Certainly, it blends in with the rest of the Trumps' baroque $100 million Fifth Avenue Manhattan penthouse. DeGeneres also sent "gazillions of onesies," according to People. The onesies featured some of The Donald's catchphrases, like "You're fired!" or "You're hired!" Meanwhile, designer Dennis Basso gifted a white mink blanket, and Barbara Walters dished a giant stuffed dog.
However, none of this went to Barron's cute little head. The future president said his youngest was a well-behaved newborn. Despite a caretaker on staff and lavish in-home nursery, baby Barron tended to sleep in a crib next to his mom and dad. "I don't sleep much anyway," Donald admitted. "So if he cries, that's fine." The sleepless Trump also liked feeding young Barron early in the morning, too, but would leave cleanup for mom. "Over the years I have changed a diaper," Donald revealed, "but not on Barron." Um, delegation is key?
Barron Trump is Donald Trump's 'mini me'
Beyond being the former president's little bundle of joy, Barron Trump really likes mirroring his old man. And the feeling is somewhat mutual. Barron, the name at least, was actually one Donald Trump used to rely on when calling up media outlets posing as a publicist for himself — the infamous John Barron, according to The Washington Post. So the name has been a Trump family favorite since the 1980s.
From an early age, the real Barron took to imitating his famous dad. "He's not a sweatpants child," Melania Trump said of a then-7-year-old Barron to "ABC News" in 2013. "He doesn't mind putting on [a suit] — but not every day — and he likes to dress up in a tie sometimes like daddy." The proud mom went on to say, "He has a lot of energy and is very cute." That first part is definitely familiar, as Barron's father, in his 70s, has a schedule that would bring a human half his age to their knees.
"Sometimes I call him little Donald," Melania later told Parenting (via Romper). "He is a mixture of us in looks, but his personality is why I call him little Donald."
This former first kid loves sports
Presidential golfing has become controversial. Sites began tracking the supposed $142 million taxpayer cost of Barron Trump's dad, Donald Trump, hitting the links during his presidency. But if you're a kid in the White House, those steep green fees are all Gucci. Barron and Donald have been pictured high-fiving on the tee box all the way back to when he was just 8 years old. The youngest Trump kid is still golfing with dad, and his game is developing. "I've seen Barron out there with him on a few occasions and he's a good athlete by his own right," a source told Politico.
Soccer has been young Barron's biggest sports passion, though. He was even snapped practicing in his uniform and shin guards on the White House lawn as D.C. United visited in 2017. "He was very knowledgeable about soccer, knew about D.C. United and was interested to know more," team forward Patrick Mullins said of Barron to The Washington Post.
In fact, later that year, Barron joined D.C. United's "U-12" team. He was a midfielder and wore number 81 on his jersey, according to Bleacher Report. He absolutely towered over the other kids on the field and had a nifty knack to find the net with his left foot. However, it seems Barron lost a bit of interest in the game. He switched teams to the Arlington Soccer Association for the following two seasons, but played only five more games total.
Barron Trump is already a little diplomat
There's a fascinating history of foreign leaders bringing wacky swag to occupants of the White House — like the baby elephant gifted to Ronald Reagan in 1984. The animal died two months later of a "mysterious" illness, according to The New York Times. In 2018, Barron Trump's dad got what amounts to a tree branch from French President Emmanuel Macron, honoring American sacrifices from a bloody battle in Belleau Wood during World War I, explains The Washington Post.
These interesting gifts sometimes also extend to kids of presidents. But what to get a boy who already has all the sneakers he can wear? Well, in 2019, Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga came bearing an actual live horse for the then-13-year-old Barron. The animal's name is Victory, which was apparently decided by dad Donald Trump, per NBC News. At the time, then White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham tweeted out that the first family was "very grateful" for the "traditional gift," but then revealed the horse "will remain in Mongolia."
But it's just as well. Gifts given to American presidents and their families by foreign countries technically belong to the American people and become a part of the National Archive when a POTUS leaves office. So, congratulations everyone! You now own roughly 1/331,000,000th of a hypothetical Mongolian horse.
Inside Barron Trump's million-dollar schooling
Melania Trump made headlines in 2016 when she failed to move into the White House immediately after Donald Trump's inauguration because she wanted Barron Trump to finish his school year at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School. On its website, the swanky institution located in New York's Upper West Side boasts about being "one of Manhattan's most well-resourced independent schools" and comes with tuition to match. Kids attending Kindergarten through Grade 8 for the 2023-2024 academic year paid a whopping $61,640.
Not surprisingly, once Melania and Barron did join Donald, the Trumps found an equally lavish school for their son. In May 2017, Melania said, per ABC 7, that the 11-year-old would attend St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland because "it is known for its diverse community and commitment to academic excellence." It's also known for its hefty price, charging $46,980 for students in middle school for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Once the family moved to Mar-a-Lago, a 15-year-old Barron switched schools again and was enrolled at the nearby Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. Founded by billionaire William I. Koch in 2011, it was charging $38,500 for upper school for the 2023-2024 school year. As the Daily Mail noted, Barron would have one thing to differentiate him from the other privileged students: He would always be accompanied by Secret Service agents.
Was he a target of the FBI's classified documents investigation?
Donald Trump wasn't shy about venting his anger over the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago home in August 2022 as part of an investigation into his alleged mishandling of classified documents. In fact, the former president was still slamming agents' actions a month later when he alleged to his supporters at a campaign rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that the search unjustly targeted his wife and son. "They rifled through the first lady's closet, drawers, and everything else," he fumed. "And even did a deep and ugly search of the room of my 16-year-old son, leaving everything they touched in far different condition than it was when they started." Days later, Donald made the same claims on Truth Social, writing, "They riffled through the living quarters of my 16-year-old son, Barron, and the loved and respected former First Lady of the United States, Melania."
Not everyone was buying it. Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti questioned Trump's claims in an interview with "MSNBC" (via Raw Story), saying the FBI would only have gone into Barron's room if they had a legitimate reason to do so. "If Trump is storing boxes of classified documents or presidential records ... in the bedroom of Barron Trump, then he should understand that that's why the Justice Department is searching there," he explained.
In the end, agents left Mar-a-Lago with about 20 boxes, 11 of which were reportedly filled with classified material.
Barron Trump was stalked and threatened by a Trump critic
It's not easy being Barron Trump. While Donald Trump's youngest son has done a good job of staying out of the spotlight, it hasn't made him immune to political attacks. In August 2023, a 41-year-old Chicago woman named Tracy Marie Fiorenza was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill both father and son. According to the Chicago Tribune (via the Tampa Bay Times), she reportedly showed up at Barron's Florida school, Oxbridge Academy, that March and asked about Barron before a security guard called 911 and had her escorted. But she didn't let up. In May, Fiorenza is said to have emailed the school's headmaster and threatened, "I will shoot Donald Trump Sr. AND Baron Trump straight in the face at any opportunity that I get!" Then, in June, she allegedly sent another email, writing, per CBS News, "I am going to slam a bullet in Baron [sic] Trump's head with his father IN SELF DEFENSE!"
According to the outlet, Fiorenza admitted to sending the emails and stood by them. When her mental health was called into question during a bail hearing, she slammed, "I have a masters degree in psychology. I am not delusional!" Meanwhile, her court-appointed attorney, Daniel Hesler, argued she wasn't a real threat, saying, "She would never actually get close to Barron Trump because she's afraid of him."
In the end, Fiorenza was charged that August with transmitting threats to kill or injure another person, which comes with a maximum five-year prison sentence.
Melania Trump will do anything to protect her son
Melania Trump may not come across as a doting mother, but according to her — and numerous sources — that's exactly what she is. As she herself told People in 2015, "I like to be hands-on." Indeed, sources told The Washington Post in 2018 that a typical day for Melania starts with her getting Barron Trump ready for school and making sure he has everything he needs. Similarly, she put her son's needs first when she refused to take him out of school early to move into the White House immediately after Donald Trump's inauguration.
To this day, she's continued to prioritize her only child and is reportedly doing her best to shield Barron from the mounting legal drama surrounding his father. According to sources who spoke with People in March 2023, Barron spends a great deal of time with his mother and his grandparents (her parents), who also reside in Mar-a-Lago and are helping to raise him. An insider shared, "[Melania] is a doting mother to Barron and very protective of him. ... She has always put him first. She is a good mother."
And so, when Donald's history-making mugshot was released that August, she didn't let it derail her and she made no comment. "Remember, Melania is a mom with a not-yet-adult son to protect," a source told People. "... Melania is good at taking care of business at hand, which includes her own life, the life of her son, and the lives of her close family members."
Could Barron Trump spark his parents' divorce?
Questions of what's really going on with Donald Trump's marriage have been swirling for years. While some think Melania Trump will inevitably divorce Donald, others are adamant that won't happen. As Mary Jordan, author of "The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump," told The Guardian in 2020, Donald and Melania are actually the perfect match. "They have a very unusual relationship, but there is a bond there," she mused.
That would help explain why Melania has stood by her husband through so much drama, but not everyone is sure they have a future together. In fact, some sources believe they'll soon part ways, and that Barron Trump may play a pivotal role in their decision to divorce. In the summer or 2023, Donald took to Truth Social to post a meme featuring Barron with the words, "In an effort to level the playing field, Barron Trump will debate Joe Biden." A source claimed to Radar that this left Melania "seething with fury," as she considered the move to be exploitative. "He made a promise to protect their son — and he broke it," the insider explained. "There's a good chance she won't forgive him, and the next time we see them together may be in divorce court."
Another source claimed to Radar that Melania and Donald were also feuding over Barron's future in politics. While Donald allegedly wants to get him involved in public life asap, the insider noted, "Melania has again made it very clear that's only going to happen over her dead body."