PoliticsMelania Trump Quashed Barron's Harvard Admission Hoax After It 'Became a Joke' Within the White House, Author Claims
Melania Trump denied a rumor about her son, Barron.
Barron Trump became the butt of a joke after rumors began to spread about him applying to go to Harvard despite his father's current political war with the school.
His mother, Melania Trump, tried to bring an end to the rumor, but several political experts claim she only spoke out to protect her son from becoming a punchline.
Melania's Denial
Melania Trump is very protective of her son.
“Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false,” Melania told The Palm Beach Post, leaving little room for interpretation regarding the accuracy of the rumors.
This abrupt clarification has garnered significant attention amidst a politically charged atmosphere where her husband, former President Donald Trump, is frequently at odds with Ivy League institutions, especially Harvard.
Why She Denied
Barron Trump was rumored to have applied to Harvard.
Michael Wolff, the author of multiple popular books about the president, said he’s not sure if the claim itself holds any water, but it indeed "became the joke" within the White House.
“Because they’re like, ‘What is he doing?’ This is, you know, this is crazy stuff,” Wolff said of those in and out of the White House. “Why would this be happening? And then they tell the Barron joke.”
Wolff claims credit for being the first to highlight the existence of the joke several weeks ago.
"The Daily Beast Podcast" host Joanna Coles noted it’s “also odd because so many of the people around Donald Trump went to Ivy League universities,” including several who went to Harvard, and Vice President J.D. Vance, who went to Yale.
“It’s important not to lend too much calculation and planning to anything he does,” Wolff commented. “But the other thing is that, by the way, he didn’t get into Harvard.”
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The Trumps vs. Harvard
Barron Trump is currently going to school at New York University.
The chatter comes at a tense time for the Trump family, particularly as the commander-in-chief has taken a hard stance against Ivy League schools, alleging they harbor antisemitism through pro-Palestinian protests.
His administration has targeted institutions like Harvard and Columbia University, notably withholding a whopping $400 million in federal funding from Columbia until policy changes were made.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also cut nearly $3 million in grants to Harvard after the university flouted demands that included ending its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Barron's College Experience
Barron Trump allegedly keeps to himself at school.
In December, Melania spoke on Fox and Friends, offering insights into Barron’s college experience, which she described as significantly different from that of typical 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,” she remarked.
She emphasized, “He's very strong, and he knows that he's in a different position than other children.”
When asked this week if the president applied to Harvard, a White House spokesperson deflected, and said, “The President didn’t need to apply to an overrated, corrupt institution like Harvard to become a successful businessman and the most transformative President in history.”
