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Melania Trump has shared a cryptic post paying tribute to “my home” New York City as a place “where dreams come alive” – days after her husband Donald Trump suggested Barron Trump will be heading to college in the Big Apple this fall.
Accompanying the X post with an aerial shot of New York City, the former first lady said: “New York City captivated my heart the moment I arrived, 28 years ago today.”
“This electrifying town isn’t just my home; it’s a colorful canvas where dreams come alive. New York’s iconic skyline and vibrant culture inspire me every day.”
The post appeared to mark Melania’s 28th anniversary as a New Yorker, though she spent years living in Washington DC during Trump’s time in office and also spends much of her time in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
Her glowing tribute to the Big Apple comes in stark contrast to her husband’s stance on the city in recent years, after he has repeatedly branded the city and other Democrat-run cities crime-ridden.
In October 2023, he falsely claimed that New York City’s murder and crime numbers had hit “unimaginable records”.
Over the course of his hush money trial, he also railed against the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and claimed he had let “violent crime run rampant all over our city.”
Melania’s post also comes amid rampant speculation as to where her son Barron will attend college in the fall.
The former president teased last week that his youngest son will go to college somewhere in New York, where he was also born, but did not specify where exactly, simply telling the New York Post that the family would make an announcement “soon”.
If he does attend a New York school, Barron will be rejecting his family’s 60-year Ivy League legacy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Since his father’s claim, schools across the state have begun their freshman programs, but no one has spotted either Barron or Melania in attendance.
With the 18-year-old towering over his mother at around 6ft 7in tall, and followed closely by Secret Service agents, he wouldn’t be hard to spot.
The mother and son have been largely staying out of the limelight during Trump’s presidential election campaign, with Melania reportedly making a deal with her husband that she would not dedicate all of her time to the White House if re-elected in November.
An insider told Page Six earlier this year that “she does not want a non-stop schedule of events in the White House, and makes the point she can be both a hands-on mother and First Lady at the same time”.
This mirrors when Melania hung back in New York City for five months following Trump’s election in the 2016 presidential race, reportedly to allow her son to finish the school year without interruption.
The insider added that she is still concerned about the scrutiny Barron may face while attending college if his father is president.
Meanwhile, family members of political rivals Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have joined the Democrat ticket during their campaign.
At the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago last week, Harris’s husband, stepdaughter, sister and grand-nieces took to the stage to support her.
Walz also reduced his family to tears while sharing his experience with infertility.
“Hope, Gus and Gwen, you are my entire world. And I love you,” Walz told the crowd.
His son Gus leapt to his feet, clapping with pride and exclaiming, “That’s my dad! That’s my dad!” while tears streamed down his face.
