Barron Trump
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ToursExplore Lably’s 3D toursTrump was an apolitical figure during his father's presidency, attracting media attention despite attempts by Melania to distance her son from politics. Following his father's departure from the White House, he moved to Florida and graduated in May 2024 from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach. Trump was invited to become an at-large delegate for Florida at the 2024 Republican National Convention, but he declined.
Early life and education
Barron William Trump was born on March 20, 2006, to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss. He was baptized at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump was raised at Trump Tower, where he has a floor of his own, and attended Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School for his primary education. He is of German, Scottish and Slovenian descent.
Donald chose Trump's first name, while Melania chose his middle name. Melania described Barron in an ABC News interview as "not a sweatpants child" and that he occasionally liked to wear a suit and tie.
Trump was present for his father's presidential campaign announcement in June 2015. Trump's father was elected president in November 2016; the younger Trump and his mother remained in New York for six months following the election over concerns regarding his privacy and changing schools mid-year. In an interview with People in September 2015, he expressed reservations about losing friendships if he had to move to Washington, D.C. Trump is the first son to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr., whose father John F. Kennedy was inaugurated two months after he was born. He invited his class to the White House in May 2017. Trump appeared at the White House's Truman Balcony to view the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. Trump began attending St. Andrew's Episcopal School in September, a preparatory school in Potomac, Maryland, described by his mother as having a "diverse community and [a] commitment to academic excellence". In February 2020, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Trump and his father were in frequent contact.
Following his departure from the White House after his loss in the 2020 presidential election, Donald moved to Mar-a-Lago; since the election, Melania has been "very protective" of Barron. He began attending Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, in August 2021. Trump was entitled to Secret Service protection until 2022. Trump graduated from Oxbridge Academy in May 2024. Trump's mother has been involved in his post-education; according to The Daily Telegraph and The New York Times, he is seeking to attend a university in New York. According to Joanna Coles, Trump intends to attend New York University.
In May 2024, Trump was invited to become an at-large delegate for Florida at the 2024 Republican National Convention, joined by his brothers Eric and Donald Jr. and his sister Tiffany. Trump declined the invitation, citing "prior commitments".
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Public image and privacy
Trump appeared with Melania on The Oprah Winfrey Show two months after he was born. His mother has subsequently sought to shield Trump from media focus and to keep his father's political career from disrupting his life. The Trump administration sought to avert attention from Barron during his education at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. The Secret Service protected Trump during his education at St. Andrew's. During the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Andrew's did not re-open.
During House Judiciary Committee hearings, Stanford Law School professor Pamela S. Karlan invoked Barron's name. In response, Melania expressed outrage at Karlan. Trump's father has attested to Barron's apparent knowledge of computers, bringing him to an event in Las Vegas and stating that Barron could have developed an improved HealthCare.gov; Donald recounted his son's ability to unlock his computer at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2022.
At a 2018 event for her Be Best campaign, his mother said Trump does not have social media accounts.
Personal life
Owing to his mother's Slovenian heritage, Trump is fluent in Slovene and as of 2019 had a slight Slovene accent. In an interview with People, Melania stated her son frequently spoke with his maternal grandmother, Amalija Knavs, until her death in January 2024. As of 2020, Trump was a Slovenian citizen (and by extension a European Union citizen); his mother applied for citizenship on his behalf and subsequently renewed it. Melania's parents have taught Barron Slovene songs. Melania's sister Ines Knauss is Barron's godmother.
Sports
According to The Washington Post in 2017, golf is "a favorite of Barron's", and his father played golf with him during his presidency. Trump played baseball in Central Park in his youth. The Post reported that Trump enjoys soccer and is a fan of Arsenal F.C. During the Easter Egg Roll at the White House in April 2017, Trump discussed soccer with D.C. United forward Patrick Mullins and midfielders Julian Buescher and Marcelo Sarvas. D.C. United presented him with a personalized soccer ball. In September 2017, Trump joined D.C. United Academy as a midfielder at age 11. In December 2018, Trump met D.C. United forward Wayne Rooney at the White House, reportedly asking his father to invite Rooney.