First Lady Melania Trump’s office has categorically denied viral social media speculation linking her son Barron Trump’s college applications to President Donald Trump’s ongoing battle with Harvard University. The denial comes amid mounting tensions between the Trump administration and the Ivy League institution over federal funding and policy demands. 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 statement directly addressed widespread online rumors suggesting the 19-year-old was rejected from Harvard and that his father’s subsequent actions against the university were motivated by personal grievance. Barron Trump recently completed his freshman year at New York University’s Stern School of Business and is projected to graduate with the class of 2028. His choice to attend NYU broke family tradition, as he became the first of Trump’s five children to attend the institution. Donald Trump Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000, followed by Ivanka Trump from the same school in 2004. Eric Trump graduated from Georgetown University in 2006, while Tiffany Trump earned degrees from both the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and Georgetown Law School in 2020. The speculation intensified following the Trump administration’s escalating confrontation with Harvard University over federal funding and policy compliance. On May 27, the administration announced the cancellation of all remaining federal contracts with Harvard, worth approximately $100 million. This action followed the university’s refusal to comply with administration demands issued in April.
The administration’s directives to Harvard included ending all diversity, equity and inclusion programs, hiring an external auditor to ensure diverse ideological viewpoints, updating admissions processes to bar students deemed hostile to American values, and implementing changes to protect Jewish students. Harvard’s defiance has put billions of dollars in federal funding and the university’s tax-exempt status at risk. President Trump has frozen approximately $3.2 billion in grants and contracts with Harvard over the past month. The administration also attempted to prohibit the school from enrolling international students, though a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking this action on May 23. Judge Allison Burroughs, appointed by former President Barack Obama, granted Harvard’s request to prevent the government from revoking the university’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Trump biographer Michael Wolff has suggested an alternative theory, proposing that the president himself may have been rejected from Harvard earlier in his academic career. Wolff indicated during a podcast appearance that Trump’s animosity toward Ivy League institutions stems from personal rejection rather than current policy disagreements. However, no published biographies have documented Trump applying to Harvard.
The president attended Fordham University from 1964 to 1966 before transferring to the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in May 1968 with a degree in economics. Trump’s late sister, federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, made recorded statements in 2018 and 2019 suggesting irregularities in his college admissions process, though the White House has disputed these claims. During a July 9, 2024 rally in Doral, Florida, then-candidate Trump praised his youngest son’s academic achievements, noting that Barron had been accepted to every college he wanted and had made his choice. The president previously told the Daily Mail that Barron had been accepted to multiple institutions and had considered following his father’s path to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School before ultimately choosing NYU.
Harvard University has responded to the administration’s actions by filing multiple federal lawsuits seeking restoration of frozen funding. The university has not responded to requests for comment regarding the Barron Trump speculation. The ongoing legal battles have created uncertainty for Harvard’s international student programs and research initiatives, with some studies facing potential termination due to funding cuts.
Melania Trump has maintained a protective stance regarding her son throughout his father’s political career. She previously indicated that Barron had always intended to study in New York City and live at home while attending college. The first lady has spent considerable time in New York City with her son during his freshman year at NYU, where he resides at Trump Tower while pursuing his business degree.
The Trump administration has characterized its university policies as efforts to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish students on college campuses. Officials cite concerns about campus protests related to the Israel-Gaza conflict as justification for their actions. Columbia University agreed to the administration’s demands in March, accepting new government oversight for its Middle East studies department, while Harvard continues to resist through legal challenges.
