Melania Trump has offered a rare and personal account of how she is navigating motherhood during President Donald Trump's second term, explaining why her 19-year-old son, Barron Trump, has chosen to live at the White House while attending college. Speaking publicly as part of the promotional tour for her autobiographical film MELANIA, the first lady framed the decision as a matter of protection, proximity and parental responsibility rather than politics.
"You need to be there for a child nonstop, especially when they need you, especially at that age that Barron is," Melania Trump said in an interview with Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo. The comments came as she acknowledged reshaping her public role to prioritize what aides describe as her central focus: remaining physically close to her only child as he transitions into adulthood under constant scrutiny.
Barron Trump is midway through his sophomore year at New York University's Stern School of Business, which he entered in September 2024. Instead of living full time in Manhattan, he now attends NYU's Washington, D.C., campus during the week and resides at the White House, an arrangement that sets him apart from nearly all of his peers.
President Trump has spoken publicly about his son's academic abilities. "He's a very high aptitude child, but he's no longer a child," Trump said when Barron began college. "He's just passed into something beyond child-dom. He's doing great." Melania Trump, however, has emphasized emotional and psychological stability over conventional independence.
During Barron's freshman year, he avoided dormitory housing altogether, living instead at Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. According to people familiar with the family's thinking, Melania Trump insisted on the arrangement to ease the transition into college life while limiting Barron's exposure to political backlash associated with the Trump name.
One source described the constraints bluntly: "Living in a dorm in a college town isn't in the stars for him at this point... Barron already has his own political ideas. It all needs to be monitored in light of the situation." On campus, Barron was described as discreet and reserved. Former NYU College Republicans president Kaya Walker said, "He goes to class, he goes home," recalling that one professor remarked he "doesn't really belong here."
Socially, Barron reportedly avoids exchanging phone numbers, instead staying in touch with friends through Discord and online gaming platforms. Yet acquaintances say he is not isolated. One insider described him as "a ladies' man" who is "really popular with the ladies," adding, "He's tall and handsome. A lot of people seem to think he's pretty attractive, yes, even liberal people like him."
Melania Trump said her perspective has shifted sharply since her first term. "You know, this time it is very different, because he is 19 years old, and the first time he was 10 years old," she said. "He understands politics and gives advice to his father. So very different."
Her protectiveness has extended beyond Washington. At Mar-a-Lago, she reacted angrily after photos of Barron appeared on social media during a Christmas event. Hollywood columnist Rob Shuter reported that Melania responded decisively, saying, "Melania made it very clear that Barron's privacy is non-negotiable. Anyone caught filming or taking pictures would face immediate consequences, including potential banning from the club."
