First Lady Melania Trump has been very quiet since her husband resumed a place in the Oval Office, staying mostly away from the White House and press events and public outings -- but one thing made her change that stance.
Her son Barron.
Melania Trump came out swinging against rumors that her husband went to war with Harvard University because the school allegedly rejected their son, Barron, last Spring. Social media rumors suggested that President Trump's actions against Harvard were due to jealousy over Malia Obama's acceptance to the university.
Melania’s spokesperson, Nick Clemens said, “Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false."
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, was among those questioning if Trump vs Harvard had to do with rejection of his children. Notably, Malia Obama graduated from Harvard, as did former President Barack Obama.
“Can’t help but wonder how many Trumps got rejected by Harvard,” Whitehouse said in a post on X after Harvard rejected Trump’s demands to change its hiring, admissions and other practices in April.
Barron Trump chose to attend NYU's Stern School to study business, his mother's spokesman said. This summer his father said, "He's now going to college, got into every college he wanted to. He made his choice and he is a very good guy." Barron, the youngest of Trump's children, graduated from high school in Palm Beach, Fla., in May 2024.
This comes as the Trump administration doubled down on its attacks on Harvard, slashing contracts worth approximately $100 million after the university refused to comply with the president's demands.
Harvard announced it was suing the White House for violating the First Amendment and refused to yield to the demands of the Trump administration in regard to eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the admission of international students and more.
Melania's statement rejecting rumors about the source of Trump's ire at Harvard didn't stop people from speculation. For instance, X user Doug Wahl, wrote this:
“It’s as simple as this: Barron was rejected by Harvard. Malia got in,” Wahl wrote. “MAGA hates that! It makes their racist blood boil! This is why the Trump administration is going after the university—it’s nothing more than that.”