Barron Trump’s growing influence in the Trump family dynasty
The business student has sent social media into a spin over his stature. That may be the least interesting part he’s played in the Trump family dynasty.
President-elect Donald Trump will return to the White House in January joined by his family, who played an outsized role in his first administration and on the campaign trail this year.
A closer look reveals the personalities of the nation’s incoming “first family” — consisting of five children and 10 grandchildren from Trump’s three marriages.
Barron Trump
The 18-year-old’s appearance on stage beside his mother and father overnight sent social media into over-drive, mostly about his impressive stature.
Barron Trump, who is studying business as a freshman at New York University, was just a youngster when his father first became president in 2016, but now towers above the 6’3 Trump Snr. His height is estimated to be about 6’7.
Little is known about Barron, though he has been credited with encouraging his father to speak to Millennials and the young ‘manosphere’ via the podcast circuit.
Before his three-hour appearance on hit podcast Joe Rogan in the week before the vote, Trump Snr sat down with YouTuber Logan Paul for an hour-long interview viewed more than six million times.
“He’s very smart ... He’s 18 years old. And he gives me good advice,” Trump said of Barron at a rally in North Carolina recently.
“[He says] ‘Dad: take it easy, now. You just take it easy Dad, alright? You don’t have to go too much here. He gives me good... he’s very wise.”
In his victory speech last night, Trump joked wife Melania’s late mother Amalija Knavs was responsible for Barron’s size.
“They’re great people, great parents to all of us really,” Trump told the crowd. “Great parents, but also to Barron. Boy did she take care of Barron.
“That’s how he got so tall – he only ate her food.”
Donald Trump Jr
The eldest of the Trump children is dogmatic to the core, having promoted Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda to his 12 million followers on X and through his “Triggered” podcast.
The 46-year-old, who sports a carefully groomed beard, was influential in securing his friend J.D. Vance’s ascension from a relatively little-known conservative Ohio senator to Trump’s running mate.
He has five children with his ex-wife Vanessa Trump, including their 17-year-old daughter Kai, who has described the Republican leader — labelled a fascist by his former chief of staff — as “just a normal grandpa.” Don Jr is now married to former Fox News presenter Kimberly Guilfoyle, who helped campaign for Trump through TV interviews.
Eric Trump
Eric, 40, is similarly loyal and backed up his father’s election bid through routine media appearances and speeches at rallies.
Along with Donald Jr, he is an executive for The Trump Organisation — the real estate empire that propelled the 78-year-old Trump into American public consciousness.
Eric has two children with his wife Lara Trump, who in March was appointed co-chair of the Republican National Committee, allowing her to shape the party in Trump’s image by reportedly firing dozens of longtime staff.
Ivanka Trump
Trump’s daughter Ivanka, 43, held the vague role of “advisor to the president” during his first administration, prompting concerns of nepotism as she attended global summits such as the G20 summit.
But she was largely withdrawn during the 2024 campaign, having earlier announced her plans to prioritize family life with husband Jared Kushner and their three children.
Kushner was also a presidential advisor, and eyebrows were raised when Trump put him in charge of brokering peace in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, despite having no significant experience in the Middle East.
Melania Trump
Melania will regain the symbolic title of “First Lady” — a role she used during Trump’s 2017-2021 presidency to campaign for children’s health care and online safety.
She has kept a relatively low profile since then, but the 54-year-old did break cover to publish a self-titled memoir weeks before Tuesday’s election.
The book shared her pro-choice stance on abortion — a view that seemingly clashed with Trump’s boasting of his role in appointing Supreme Court justices who scrapped the federal right to abortion under Roe v Wade.
Tiffany Trump
Trump’s fourth child and the only with his second wife Marla Maples, an American actress, kept a low profile during her father’s presidency and election campaign.
Tiffany, 31, was among a stream of supporters who descended on a New York court this year during Trump’s hush money trial, which saw him became a convicted felon.
She is married to Michael Boulos, the son of a Lebanese-born billionaire, and the couple are expecting a child.
AFP
