Barron Trump will live far away from his father, Donald Trump, for the first time in many years. The son of the former and future president recently enrolled at New York University, and it would seem that his schoolmates have pretty differing opinions about him.
Not much has been known about Barron’s life following his father’s White House exit in 2020. But just months ago, a former classmate at Oxbridge Academy – the high school Barron graduated from earlier this year in Palm Beach, Florida – claimed that the now 18-year-old son of the 47th President of the United States wasn’t a part of the social culture at the school.
Now, Barron has turned 18, and attending college usually means exploring new things and meeting new friends. However, for Barron, reports suggest he’s having a hard time with just that. He is trying to make new friends – but not in the most conventional way.
It’s fair to say that Barron Trump’s life has been markedly different to anyone else’s. He grew up at Trump Tower, where he reportedly had his own floor at just a few years old, and lived at the White House as his father, Donald Trump, served his first term as President of the United States.
After Trump’s White House exit in 2020, Barron and his parents moved to their Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. His mother, Melania Trump, did everything in her power to protect him from the media scrutiny surrounding his father, and the youngster enrolled at the private high school Oxbridge Academy.
Barron was kept out of the spotlight, and besides the fact that he was rarely seen in public, no reports were leaked about how he fared at school. Then, not long ago, a former schoolmate gave the world some insight into what Barron was like.
The Secret Service was said to have followed him wherever he went, while Barron attended his classes at Oxbridge under a different name. Agents accompanied him around campus, stood outside the classroom door, and even escorted him to the bathroom.
Barron Trump ‘didn’t get to enjoy high school,’ former classmate says
Barron was reportedly registered under Jack in school records and computers to protect his data and grades from possible hackers, while the teenager didn’t participate in sports and took his meals separate from his peers. Speaking with the Daily Mail, a former student said it was a “shame” that Barron didn’t get to enjoy high school like the rest of the students.
“Barron was very funny and sociable. He would start the most random conversations and could be very entertaining,” the friend told the Mail.
“He was also very mysterious, he never attended football games or dances. I don’t think he met up with anyone outside of school or went on dates. If he had a girlfriend, it was top secret we never knew about it.”
The friend concluded: “I’m sure he had fun in his own way but it was a bit of a shame that he didn’t get to have a normal high school life like everyone else.”
Barron graduated from Oxbridge Academy with his father and mother in the crowd cheering him on. It long remained unknown where he would attend college, though in the end, he decided on New York University, where he’s currently attending Stern’s Business School.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, Donald Trump explained that his son considered following in his footsteps in attending Pennsylvania University’s Wharton School. In the end, however, he opted to stay in the Big Apple, the city where he was raised.
Barron Trump attends Stern Business School
Stern Business School is considered one of America’s best business schools. However, only 1 in 20 applicants make it through to the undergraduate program.
“It’s a very high-quality place. He liked it. He liked the school,” Trump told DailyMail.com. “We liked NYU. I’ve known NYU for a long time, but it’s one of the highest-rated schools.”
“I went to Wharton, and that was certainly one that we were considering. We didn’t do that,” Trump continued. !We went for Stern. He’s a very high-aptitude child, but he’s no longer a child. He’s just passed into something beyond childhood. He’s he’s doing great.”
Donald added that Barron plans to continue playing soccer at NYU. He has always been a big soccer fan and played for one of the MLS clubs, DC United’s youth team while living at the White House.
Secret Service agents follow him around
Barron has benefitted from Secret Service protection since leaving the White House, and the 18-year-old will continue to have agents around him as he studies at NYU. The federal law enforcement agency previously confirmed that Barron would receive protection, but it didn’t specify exactly how.
Meanwhile, US Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi told Newsweek: “The President-elect has been receiving heightened Secret Service protection, and this level of security will be maintained moving forward.”
“While we cannot share specific details to ensure the integrity of our operations, family members and executive staff of the President-elect may also be afforded protection in accordance with federal law.”
Guglielmi concluded: “Enhanced security measures around Palm Beach County, Florida, and New York City are also being coordinated. The Secret Service is committed to working with local partners in these cities to keep the community informed about any potential impacts to the public.”
Due to his studies, Barron will not live at the White House as he did during his father’s last presidential term. He will most likely continue living at Trump Tower, but whether Melania will be at his side is still to be determined.
So, what kind of protection is Barron Trump getting? Speaking with Newsweek, Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service agent who worked with George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, as well as their families, told Newsweek that a president’s child is considered a “soft target,” as per a law enforcement and military term.
Barron Trump ‘will become a liberal at NYU,’ student claims
That means “they are perceived to be less protected, which makes them vulnerable but also creates a dangerous environment for those around them.” Eckloff said that it could mean that Barron could be “sitting in a student union – just as a hypothetical — and he may look alone, but he will not be alone. You will see [Secret Service agents] dressed as best as possible like students.”
Barron was photographed by paparazzi photographers during his first day at NYU. Meanwhile, many “regular” people attend the school, and it appears they have mixed emotions about Barron.
The Daily Mail went to the NYU campus to speak with some students, one of whom speculated that Barron might change his outlook on life to fit in.
“He’s going to NYU, so if he is at all interested in girls, he’s going to become kind of liberal, I’ll tell you that,’ one student told the Daily Mail.
Another student stated: “My mom is going to want me to marry him.”
Secret Service agents will, as mentioned, follow Barron around campus all the time. A third student stated they felt “really bad for him” as he “did not choose this life.”
A fourth student said: “His dad is his dad and he is own person so I’m not going to judge,” adding that she would definitely consider a friendship. “Of course, who wouldn’t want to be friends with a Trump?”
How Barron Trump is making new friends at New York University
However, not everyone is ecstatic for the president’s son to study at NYU. One student said she would “absolutely not” be friends with Barron.
‘It speaks to the privilege that a lot of the NYU kids have. I’m only here because of financial aid,’ the student told the Daily Mail.
So, how is Barron doing at school? According to a People Magazine source, the 18-year-old has been “popular with the ladies” since starting classes in September.
“He’s at Stern so he’s studying business in some way. He’s a ladies man for sure. He’s really popular with the ladies,” the source said. “He’s tall and handsome. A lot of people seem to think he’s pretty attractive — yes, even liberal people like him.”
Making new friends after arriving at a completely new place can be challenging. While being Donald Trump’s son might do the trick, it’s most important to surround yourself with people who want to be your friends, rather than those looking to buddy-up with someone famous. As Barron is constantly surrounded by Secret Service agents, getting to have a conversation with him in the first place is most likely tricky.
“Chill” Barron invites classmates to online gaming
For Barron, it appears that making friends hasn’t been easy. According to US outlet TMZ, he has had a hard time blending in at New York University. However, he has found a clever way to connect with new college friends – online. The news outlet states that Barron has turned to online gaming, inviting classmates to play with him in the virtual world.
According to TMZ, he has invited them to join him on the popular gaming platform Discord, where users play games and chat with each other. Since he’s a big soccer fan, he plays the popular video game EA Sports FC 25.
It’s close from Trump Tower to New York University, but Barron is reportedly escorted to and from campus in an SUV. Even so, TMZ reports that classmates have described him as “chill.”
Melania Trump has always been her son’s guardian angel. In December, when appearing on Fox and Friends, she spoke about Barron and his college experience, stating that his time at NYU will be very different compared to the rest of the students.
“I don’t think it’s possible for him to be a normal student. His experience at college — it’s very different than any other kid,” Melania Trump said.. “He’s very strong and he knows that he’s in a different position than other children.”
