First Lady Melania Trump has forcefully denied viral online rumors suggesting her son Barron Trump was rejected by Harvard University, with her office calling such assertions completely false amid President Donald Trump’s escalating battle with the Ivy League institution.
Nicholas Clemens, spokesperson for the Office of the First Lady, stated on May 27 that “Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false.” The denial came as speculation swirled on social media platforms connecting the Trump administration’s crackdown on Harvard to the president’s youngest son.
The 19-year-old Barron Trump recently completed his freshman year at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where he is projected to graduate with the class of 2028. He broke from Trump family tradition by choosing NYU over the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where his father earned a degree in economics in May 1968.
The conspiracy theories gained traction as the Trump administration intensified its assault on Harvard University, announcing on May 27 plans to cancel all remaining federal contracts with the institution worth approximately $100 million. This latest action follows the administration’s previous termination of over $3.2 billion in federal grants and contracts with Harvard since taking office in January.
President Trump’s war against Harvard began in April when the university refused to comply with federal directives that included ending all diversity, equity and inclusion programs, hiring an external auditor to review campus groups for ideological diversity, and updating admissions processes to prevent enrolling students deemed hostile to American constitutional values.
The administration has justified its actions under the banner of fighting antisemitism, alleging that elite universities failed to adequately combat antisemitism during protests against the war in Gaza. Harvard’s defiance has put billions of dollars in federal funding and the university’s tax-exempt status at risk.
Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island fueled speculation on social media platform X by posting about how many Trumps might have been rejected by Harvard when he shared an article about the president’s attacks on the institution. An anonymous X account with over five million followers also suggested Trump was retaliating against Harvard for allegedly rejecting Barron.
The Trump administration recently attempted to prohibit Harvard from enrolling international students, but Judge Allison Burroughs, a President Barack Obama appointee, granted the university a temporary restraining order on May 23. The order prevented the government from revoking Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which permits the university to host international students with F-1 or J-1 visas.
President Trump confirmed during a July 9, 2024, rally in Doral, Florida, that Barron had been accepted to multiple colleges. Trump indicated that his son got into every college he wanted and made his own choice about where to attend. The president previously told reporters that Barron had considered following in his footsteps at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School but ultimately chose NYU.
Barron graduated from Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida, in May 2024, before beginning his studies at NYU in September. He currently lives in Trump Tower in New York City while attending classes, with Melania Trump spending significant time in New York City to be close to her son during his college years.
The Trump family has historically favored either the University of Pennsylvania or Georgetown University for higher education. Donald Trump Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000, followed by Ivanka Trump in 2004. Eric Trump graduated from Georgetown University in 2006, while Tiffany Trump earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and her law degree from Georgetown in 2020.
Harvard has fought back against the administration’s demands through multiple federal lawsuits, with the university filing its initial legal challenge on April 21. The school has accused the administration of overreach and has sought to restore its frozen federal funding through the court system.
The administration has threatened to redirect Harvard’s federal funding to trade schools across the country, with President Trump describing such a move as a great investment for America. The ongoing legal battle has created uncertainty for Harvard’s international student population and research programs that depend on federal grants.
Melania Trump has been notably protective of Barron throughout his father’s political career, and her office’s swift response to the Harvard rumors demonstrates her continued efforts to shield her son from unfounded speculation. The first lady previously described Barron’s college experience as different from other students due to his unique circumstances as the president’s son.
The Harvard controversy represents one of the Trump administration’s most aggressive confrontations with higher education institutions, with the administration targeting multiple universities for their handling of campus protests and diversity programs.