Weird Things About Donald Trump's Relationship With His Son Barron
Donald Trump has been a larger-than-life figure for decades, even before he stepped into the White House in 2016. That being said, his foray into politics certainly made him a polarizing man who is sure to heat up any dinner party conversation. When Donald became president, his family was also thrust into the limelight, including his youngest son, Barron Trump. Now 18 years old, Barron has largely grown up in his dad's political sphere, as he was just 11 years old when his father moved into the White House. Despite his mother, Melania Trump, trying her best to keep him away from the circus, people have always been fascinated with Barron — and his relationship with Donald.
These two may have some things in common, like their shared love of good tailoring and their towering builds, but their dynamic can get a bit weird. Donald allegedly harbors jealousy towards his youngest son for a pretty bizarre reason, while Barron has been vocal about why he shuts himself away in his room at home when his dad pulls out the iPad.
No family is 100% normal, but there's no denying that the Trump family takes the cake, especially when we put this father-son relationship under the microscope.
Barron Trump declined to select his father as the 2024 presidential nominee
There was a time when Donald Trump was known purely for his business endeavors and reality TV shows, but those days are long gone. Despite his legal woes, Donald Trump's 2024 campaign was promised from the moment he left the White House. While this isn't a surprise, Barron Trump's involvement, or rather, his lack of involvement, was. Barron was pegged to serve as a delegate on behalf of his dad at the 2024 Republican National Convention. It seemed like a done deal, with Donald even telling reporters that he was "all for it," according to the BBC. However, just a few days later, Barron's mother, Melania Trump, released a statement: "While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments." No further information was given. Considering just how controversial his father is in the political world, it may be understandable that Barron wants to stay out of it, but that doesn't make it any less eyebrow-raising.
Donald's kids have always been heavily involved in his political career, with his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner even serving as advisors for his first term. Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump will all be serving as delegates in 2024, too, making Barron the odd one out when it comes to getting stuck into politics.
They sometimes wear matching suits
We've all seen photos of adorable kids wearing mommy and me outfits at some point or another, but did you know that this penchant for coordination extends to the Trump family, too? Only this time, it's the father and the son doing the matching. It's not unusual to see Barron Trump and Donald Trump wearing matching suits on occasion. At the funeral of Donald's first wife, Ivana Trump, in 2020, the duo wore the same navy suit with a white shirt and matching navy tie. This hasn't gone unnoticed by experts, either.
Body language aficionado Judi James told The Mirror, "Barron is a visual chip off the old block, even dressing in a matching suit, and displays like this do seem to imply that Trump sees him as his mini-me heir to the kingdom." Whether Barron is happy to wear suits that make him so closely resemble his dad remains to be seen — though it may change now that he's officially an adult.
Barron Trump escapes to his room when his dad blasts music
It may seem like you almost never see Barron Trump in public, but when he does go out and about with his parents, he doesn't appear to be super thrilled. Maybe he'd rather be somewhere else, maybe he doesn't like all of the attention, or maybe he's actually totally content but just wears a poker face. Or hey, maybe he's just a kid who, like so many other kids, can be embarrassed by his parents from time to time. Whatever the case, we do know that there's at least one thing Donald Trump does that reportedly makes him want to run and hide.
According to The Mirror, Barron reportedly made it clear how he felt about his dad's music selection while his parents hosted a dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Guest Vincent Oshana recalled, "All of a sudden the music just comes on loud. We're like, 'What the h*** is that?' He's like 'My freaking dad's the DJ.' All you see is the president on his iPad. The lights in his face." Barron went on to dish the dirt on family life, telling diners that he'll be in his room while the entire house shakes because of his dad's penchant for loud music. Considering just how big a Trump abode can be, that's one heck of a subwoofer.
Donald Trump is reportedly jealous of his son's height
Trump men are typically tall people, with Donald Trump standing at 6 feet, 3 inches. His sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are also taller than the average man, both reaching over 6 feet. However, it's Barron who wins. By the time he turned 18 in 2024, he reportedly reached 6 feet, 7 inches, surpassing his siblings and his father in leaps and bounds. Interestingly, Barron's height supposedly has been a bone of contention for Donald. According to writer Michael Wolff, the former president started to have a problem when it became clear Barron would one day tower over him.
This claim, Wolff made in his book "Siege: Trump Under Fire," came up in a 2019 interview with MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell. When asked about whether or not Donald actually takes issue with his son's stature, Wolff doubled down, stating that height is a big deal to the former reality TV host. "He never lets himself be in a photograph with someone taller than he is. Height is one of his techniques," he explained. "He uses his height." Unfortunately for Donald, he can't avoid being pictured with his own son.
Barron and Donald Trump both love fast food
Donald Trump's love affair with fast food is legendary. Sure, he has access to the finest restaurants and can bring in private chefs whenever he desires, but the former president knows what he likes. He's made no secret about how much he enjoys a McDonald's Big Mac, and he even had 300 burgers sent to the White House in 2019 when the government was partially shut down as a "treat" for Clemson's championship-winning football team. It's been widely reported over the years that Donald also has a soft spot for Chick-Fil-A, and even visited a franchise in 2024 to hand out orders.
It sounds like Barron Trump, much like his father, enjoys a fast food treat. Melania Trump once told DuJour magazine (via Salon) that while she's not a Starbucks drinker, her son, Barron, loves a Frappuccino. At least their shared love of fast food is something this father-son duo can bond over.
Barron Trump seems to get more awkward around his dad
It's not unusual for a child to be closer to one parent than the other, and in Barron Trump's case, he appears to be closer to Melania Trump than Donald Trump. After looking at footage taken of Melania and Barron on Easter in 2024, body language expert Judi James told The Mirror that Barron seems to be far less at ease around his dad when compared to his mother. "Barron is growing into his height now, and his confidence signals are increasing although we can see two different body language states when he accompanies his mother versus when he is with his father," she explained.
As James noted, not only did Barron give the crowd a thumbs-up like his dad might, but more or less fill in for his dad. "Although Melania walks ahead here Barron quickly catches up to walk by her side, suggesting a quiet desire for status and to raise his own profile in what looks like a more leadership-style capacity," she said. After watching a video of Barron and Donald taken during the holiday, James sensed a significant shift, stating, "When Barron is with his father here though his signals of some awkwardness increase." It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in years to come.