Barron Trump Seemingly Found A Father Figure In This Family Member (Spoiler: It Isn't Donald)

Barron Trump's conduct has surprised many people, mostly because it's so unlike that of his famous father, Donald Trump. And, as it turns out, that might be because the president isn't exactly the main father figure in his life. Barron definitely isn't living up to his "Mini Donald" nickname (and that's probably a good thing). For instance, the young man left the world agape when he shook hands with both Former President Joe Biden and Former Vice President Kamala Harris during his father's 2025 inauguration, igniting whispers that Barron might one day make a fine politician. 

The New York University student most likely didn't learn these fine manners from his rambunctious father, who outright refused to shake hands with Biden ahead of their 2024 presidential debate and only shook Harris' during a subsequent debate when she initiated the handshake. Podcaster Patrick Bet-David even raved about how Barron walked him and his acquaintances to their car after a dinner in 2024. It should therefore come as no surprise that sources hint there's someone else in the family who serves as a father figure to the first son: Barron's grandfather Viktor Knavs. 

"Viktor is extremely close to his grandson, Barron, and you often see them walking around Mar-a-Lago together — or at least you did before Barron went off to New York University," one source proudly informed the Daily Mail in May 2025. Not much is known about Knavs, whom sources confirm is a very private person, but it seems as though he's been teaching Barron some life lessons behind the scenes.

There are plenty of weird things about Donald Trump's relationship with his son, Barron Trump, and one of them is certainly the way that the president handled a question about his youngest child's dating life during an October 2024 interview with the "PBD Podcast." Not only did Donald refer to his son as "cute," but he also claimed that Barron had never dated before, oblivious to the fact that this might not be the kind of private information his son wants in the public sphere. Barron might very well have had girlfriends before and his dad simply had no idea.

There's also the fact that the father-son duo appeared to be thick as thieves during the Trump presidential campaign, with Donald crediting Barron with helping him to appeal to young voters. But, after Inauguration Day, the first son demonstrated how he had inherited Melania's Trump gift for pulling a disappearing act when he failed to make another appearance at his dad's side. In July 2025, the media questioned Barron's absence from the White House — even on special occasions. He missed the famed Easter Egg Roll despite most of his family being present.

Meanwhile, Donald's comments about Barron verified our suspicions about their strained relationship when the president, while speaking to reporters in August 2025, referred to his youngest kid as Melania's son only. "She's got a great love of children, she has a wonderful son that she loves probably more than anybody, including me, I hate to say it," Donald said at the time (via People). It was a profoundly odd comment to make, with the divisive politician seemingly distancing himself from Barron. No wonder the young man is reportedly much closer with his grandfather.