From the moment he was born, Melania Trump knew what she had to do to keep her son Barron away from public scrutiny. As he’s grown up, that’s something she’s always endeavored to do. When he was only ten, Barron moved into the White House with his parents, but he was rarely seen in public despite his status as the president’s son.
Barron and Melania moved to the White House when he finished school in New York, and it didn’t take long before Barron wished to invite his friends to Washington. Of course, it wasn’t any random building his friends were to visit – Barron once even invited his class to meet his father, the president. On the morning of Election Day, 2016, the Trump family prepared for what was to come. And in Melania’s case, it began with a very emotional moment with Barron.
Barron grew up in a world of luxury and reportedly had his own floor at Trump Tower, where he could paint all over the walls and do pretty much what he wanted. When he turned ten, his family left New York, with the next stop being Washington, DC, and a new house where painting on the walls might not have been as accepted.
When Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, he and his family moved to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, though Barron and Melania stayed in New York City until the youngster finished school.
Barron became the first boy to live in the White House since JFK, and enrolled at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland, a private school about 30 minutes away from the White House.
“It is known for its diverse community and commitment to academic excellence,” Melania said shortly before relocating from New York to the White House. “The mission of St. Andrew’s is ‘to know and inspire each child in an inclusive community dedicated to exceptional teaching, learning, and service,’ all of which appealed to our family.”
Melania has protected her son from the media and scrutiny from the day he was born, and continued to do so after the Trumps moved into the White House the first time around. Of course, the press was still interested in the young boy, and sadly, it got to a point where Melania had to act. In early 2017, the White House called for the media’s cooperation, asking them to give Barron privacy.
Melania Trump dedicated her life to protecting Barron
“It is a longstanding tradition that the children of Presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight. The White House fully expects this tradition to continue. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter,” the White House said.
Melania didn’t let Barron issue his own statements when he lived at the White House. Instead, all communication went through his mother and her office of communications. Still, to this day, Melania is very protective of her son. When the family moved to Palm Beach after Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, Melania kept Barron out of the spotlight and to focused on supporting him while he attended high school.
However, it appeared that it wasn’t only the media Melania had to shield him from. In 2023, Donald Trump posted a meme picture on his Truth Social social media platform featuring a photoshopped image of Barron standing at a podium.
“In an effort to level the playing field, Barron Trump will debate Joe Biden!” Trump wrote, adding, “No Contest!” However, this did not go well with Melania, who grew angry with Donald.
At the time, a source told RadarOnline: “Melania has been incredibly protective of Barron and has told Donald she would not stand for him to be exploited by anyone, even his father! He made a promise to protect their son — and he broke it. There’s a good chance she won’t forgive him, and the next time we see them together may be in divorce court.”
How Barron Trump was living at the White House
As mentioned, Barron’s time in the White House between 2016 and 2020 was a relative mystery, though a few reports about his life reached the public. Before he moved to Washington from New York, it was apparent that he and his friends at school were excited to spend time in the White House together. According to the Confidential, Barron liked being able to invite his friends and have sleepovers.
“Barron has been asking some of his school friends to come visit him in the White House,” the report stated. “He has said to his parents, ‘I hope there are bedrooms for my friends to come visit.’”
“Kids at his school are already planning sleepovers,” a source back then told the NY Daily News, referring to the Upper West Side’s Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School.
Barron had made great friends during his New York school days before moving to Washington, and even though he left, he wanted to give his classmates quite an experience.
As reported by PageSix, in May 2017, Barron took his classmates on a trip to Washington to visit the White House. According to the new outlet, around 80 children from Barron’s school joined the trip.
Invited his classmates to meet his father at the White House
Usually, when classes visit the White House for a tour, they probably get a guide and see some of the hallways, and if they’re lucky, they might see someone from the White House staff. Of course, when Barron Trump was in charge of the trip, it became a more intimate tour of.
“All the kids got dressed up,” a source told Page Six. “The girls were in dresses, and the boys wore khaki pants and button-downs. It was so cute.”
The children were accompanied by their teachers and Secret Service agents to the White House. They also toured DC and stayed at a hotel overnight before returning to New York. The highlight for the students was, most certainly, meeting the president himself.
“They had a buffet lunch and a tour of the White House and met the president and the first lady, Melania Trump. President Trump gave them all a rousing speech about living up to your potential and being the best you could be for your country. Barron was really sweet. He was so excited to show his classmates around the White House,” the source continued.
Of course, moving to the White House was incredible for Donald, Melania, and Barron. Although they had been through a long presidential campaign before the 2016 election, when Election Day came, Melania realized how much life had changed.
Melania Trump’s emotional realization with Barron on 2016 Election Day
In her memoir, Melania, the former model, revealed how she stopped to check in on Barron as he slept and came to a very emotional realization. Her family had gone through incredible changes after her husband decided to run for president, which she suddenly became acutely aware of.
“I love early, peaceful mornings – peace I would especially need in the coming hours. Barron was still asleep when I entered his room and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead,” Melania wrote.
“Taking an extra moment to look at him, knowing his world had already undergone so much transformation since his father’s decision to run for president, I realized this day would begin changes none of us could predict.”
She added: “I made a commitment then and there that if we were headed to the White House, I would fiercely protect my beautiful son in every way I could.”
While Barron has barely been seen in public for the majority of his life, in recent months, the now 18-year-old has appeared many times next to his father. He was on stage with Donald and Melania for election night in November, celebrating his father’s victory.
During Inauguration Day, Barron became the talk of the town for many things. He was praised online for handling the conversations he had with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and one body language expert even branded him a “rock star.”
Barron Trump praised on Inauguration Day
Speaking with the Daily Mail, body language expert and communications coach Judi James explained that Barron “very confidently” and “charmingly” bent to shake hands with Biden.
“And although Biden’s face seems to fall as though Barron has passed on some kind of sinister threat or message, the truth was less dramatic as Barron seemed to be leaning to greet Kamala and Biden’s face was registering the fact that he’d finished his greeting ritual with Trump’s son,” James said.
She added that Barron’s humor and so-labeled “super-confidence” have led people to misread what Donald’s son really could’ve said to Biden.
“When he was introduced by his father, he stood like a rock star acknowledging the cheers and chants of his name and even cupped his ear to increase them. Which is probably why people might assume (wrongly I’d say) that he’s possibly making barbed comments on his way out here,” James continued.
Moreover, James explained that Barron was “working as a sweeper” during the inauguration, a role he frequently takes on when appearing with his father at any event.
Melania Trump says Barron will have a bedroom at the White House
“He lets everyone know that he is becoming a force to be reckoned with in his own right and because of his height and the increase in his confidence signals, it gives him a rather princely air, presence-wise. Biden had been on the receiving end of a flame-thrower speech from Trump, where he had sat in a variety of poses including pained deflation and bravado smiling as his entire four years in office were scorched to ashes.”
When his father gave a victory speech at CapitalOne Arena in Washington in front of his fans, Donald thanked his son for helping him win the election. However, this time around, Donald and Melania will be staying at the White House alone, as Barron has begun studying at Stern Business School at New York University. Speaking to Fox, Melania stated her son is, of course, always welcome.
“Obviously he’ll have a bedroom there, but he’s an adult, he’s in college now. I think he will come and visit, yes,” Melania said, adding that she’d love if he’d bring friends.
“Yeah, whatever he would like to do, yes. I feel that as children, we have them till they are 18, 19 years old. We teach them, we guide them, and then we give them the wings to fly. And I always respect Barron’s yes and no, and what he likes to do, where he would like to be.”
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