Incoming First Lady Melania Trump is devoted to ensuring her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump, is happy and healthy which will likely make her role in the White House less visible than other first ladies, insiders say.
Melania, 54, strives for “open communication” with her son, who recently began attending college at New York University, to help him adjust to the spotlight, two sources familiar with the Trump family told People.
“Melania worries about the hate in the country and how it falls on her son, who is innocent of any of this,” a social source told the magazine.
The source said Melania does anything she can to be a support system for Barron. Another source, from Palm Beach, Florida, said Melania encourages her son to make friends while being careful about “haters”.
“They talk about life as it is and how they are in the spotlight," the first source said. "She tries to normalize his life. If that is even possible.”
As Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron has been subject to the attention and criticisms that come with political news for much of his life. Melania has dedicated her time to protecting her son from too much publicity.
When Barron was chosen to serve as a delegate from Florida earlier this year, Melania quickly swooped in to decline the offer on his behalf.
As Barron attends college in New York and lives at his family’s Trump Tower residence, Melania is reportedly spending her time there as well to support him.
“Any child in the world spotlight like this would be lucky to have a parent so willing to give her time to help keep his life running smoothly,” the source from Palm Beach told People.
It’s unclear what Melania’s role as a first lady will look like. Multiple people have told various news outlets, including the New York Times, that she will likely take on a more nontraditional role – living between her homes in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida more often than the White House.
It is clear, however, that Melania prioritizes her role as a mother.
In interviews, she gushes over her son and praises his intelligence. Her love for Barron is one of the only takeaways from her little-revealing memoir Melania.
"As much as Melania loves Mar-a-Lago and her life in Palm Beach, she will spend more time in New York with her son, who is more important to her than anything else,” another unnamed source told People.
