Did Donald Trump Really Skip The Graduations Of His Oldest Kids? Here's The Truth
Being accused of helping cover up hush money to an adult film star is bad enough. But to add insult to injury, Donald Trump is claiming the fraud case will ruin his son Barron's graduation day as well. The former president had his legal team put in a request for court to be adjourned on May 17, 2024 — the date of Barron Trump's graduation from the exclusive Oxbridge School. Judge Juan Merchan postponed his decision, which Trump took as a rejection. Speaking to reporters later, he said (per YouTube), "As you know, my son is graduating from high school, and it looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son, which he's worked very, very hard, he's a great student..." Trump also repeated his claim on Truth Social (via Newsweek), calling the case "bogus," Merchan "seriously Conflicted and Corrupt," and the commencement ceremony "something that we have been talking about for years."
This outrage was quickly met with online claims about Trump's four older children. One sample, as repeated on X (aka Twitter): "Donald Trump did NOT attend Don Jr's Graduation. Donald Trump did NOT attend Ivanka's Graduation. Donald Trump did NOT attend Eric's Graduation. Donald Trump did NOT attend Tiffany's Graduation. Donald Trump had NO intention [of] attending [Barron's] Graduation." Some posts specified he missed high school graduations, while others alleged he was a no-show at their college ceremonies. Not that it matters — like most rage-tweets, these rumors about Trump's absenteeism turned out to be false.
Donald Trump has been there for his kids' big days
No one is claiming Donald Trump has transformed himself into a model father. He has openly declared he takes a hands-off approach to childrearing, even suggesting fathers who change diapers are less than manly. A 2018 exposé of the former POTUS claims he was "an absentee father for his first four children" and practically nonexistent for youngest son Barron, per New York Post. Mike Brady he wasn't — but he wasn't a total Darth Vader, either. In addition to financing his kids' expensive educations, he did indeed come to their graduations.
Namesake son Donald Trump Jr., oldest son of Donald and his ex-wife Ivana, graduated from The Hill School in 1996. Snopes obtained a photo of his parents at the event. When he received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of Business four years later, the Philadelphia Inquirer noted the entire Trump family went from the campus to a local hangout for brunch. Daughter Ivanka Trump attended Choate Rosemary Hall, whose school newspaper reported on her "Choate Dad" appearing at her graduation. Ivanka herself shared a photo of her 2004 graduation from Wharton on her Facebook page in 2011, with her father proudly standing at her side.
There's also archival documentation to prove Trump was among the guests at Eric Trump's graduations from The Hill and from Georgetown University, though Eric's high school classmates told City & State New York his dad was otherwise out of the picture during his time there.
Barron keeps his sense of humor about his dad
Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump's daughter by ex Marla Maples, can also brag of having her dad watch her receive a diploma. She announced her own 2016 graduation from the University of Pennsylvania with a photo collage on Instagram. Sure enough, both her parents were there, along with stepmom Melania Trump and step-siblings Ivanka and Barron Trump. Just 10 years old at the time, Barron was barely as tall as his sister. Now he towers over his father so much, Donald often gets roasted for commenting on Barron's height at every opportunity.
The graduation drama is only one of the many gossip-inspiring issues surrounding the youngest Trump son and his family. Another was the time Barron was iced out by his family on social media on his milestone 18th birthday. But only Barron himself knows the full story; maybe he actually told the folks, "Could you skip the baby pictures on Instagram this year, please?" And perhaps he's chill about not having his dad there for every occasion; he certainly seems to have become more comfortable with his status. The hosts of the PBD podcast spent an evening at Mar-a-Lago not long after Barron's big birthday, and he kept them entertained all night with hilarious stories. He even did an amused eye-roll when Donald cranked up the volume on the music. Sounds like this young man will do just fine, whether his dad is in the school audience, the Oval Office, or the courtroom.