Growing Up Trump: Barron & Kai Have An Uncomfortably Close Age Gap

Donald and Melania Trump have a surprisingly large age gap: Nearly 24 years, in fact. Born in 1970, Melania is also only seven years older than her eldest stepson, Donald Trump Jr. Melania and Don Jr. happened to become first-time parents around the same time too, leading to a tiny age gap between Barron Trump and his niece, Kai Trump. The first son was born in March 2006, and Kai followed soon after in May 2007. As Stephanie Wijkstrom, MS, LPC, NBCC, exclusively informed The List, "When we think of uncles and nieces, we immediately summon an older person and a much younger child." 

In the past, when large families were more common, there were plenty of instances when the oldest and youngest siblings had a considerable difference. As a result, some members of the next generation could be similar in age to the youngest people just a branch above them on the family tree. For people who aren't genealogy enthusiasts, this small age gap might seem weird. However, as Wijkstrom explained, "No matter what label we place upon their relationship title, being closer in age is a strength and can encourage the opportunity they have to form a close relationship." 

The expert's assessment appears to hold true for Barron and Kai. On her YouTube channel, Kai reminisced about playing soccer and hide and seek at the White House with Barron and Donald Trump III, her younger brother. Since they engaged in these activities at around the same age, Kai and Barron likely developed a tighter bond than people of different generations might experience, comparatively speaking. 

Barron and Kai Trump have one unusual thing in common: They both had to deal with the Secret Service's increased presence in their lives starting when they were just tweens. In the first son's case, security personnel even supervised his bathroom breaks when he was in high school in Florida. As Donald Trump's granddaughter, Kai had to deal with Secret Service agents cramping her style at school too. However, she's become resigned to this over the years. "No matter what I'll probably never have the privacy as other kids my age so I kinda just gotta deal with it," Kai acknowledged on her YouTube channel.

Since she's a year younger than Barron, Kai is fortunate to be able to look to her uncle for guidance too. As a student at New York University, Barron's college experience has been beyond awkward thanks to the Secret Service. If his golf-obsessed niece runs into something similar when she enters the University of Miami, Kai and Barron can commiserate together, which should help them both exponentially in the long run. 

"People our age are relatable and can understand the world through a similar lens and world view," Stephanie Wijkstrom, remarked during her exclusive chat with The List. "What truly determines the outcome of their connection is more about the frequency of time spent and personality types." Even if they're not able to hang out in person as much as they did in their younger years, hopefully Kai and Barron can still stay connected and continue to offer support to each other as they grow up under these unique circumstances.