There has been a lot of curiosity around Barron Trump’s college plans. Speaking at a campaign event on July 10, 2024, Donald Trump said his son had his pick of the litter for choosing a school. “[Barron] got into every college he wanted to and he made his choice,” the former president told the crowd, per the Daily Mail. At the time, Barron’s rumored college choices were New York University, Georgetown, and the University of Pennsylvania. The following month, Donald dropped a clue about where Barron would go. “He’s all set in a certain school that’s very good,” Donald told the New York Post before revealing that his son would be going to college somewhere in New York state. We also learned that Donald’s youngest kid would have Secret Service protection when he heads to campus.
Former Secret Service agent, Paul Eckloff, spoke to The Independent about the issues of working a security detail for a college student. “Protective surveillance is a part of it, which means you’re close and watching and waiting to respond,” Eckloff told the outlet on August 26. According to the former agent, one of the biggest obstacles in working protection is the proliferation of social media. “Now, their location is broadcast on social media, and they could become a target. That can endanger everybody,” Eckloff said about the info potentially being shared at a party.
That said, agents would try their best not to impede on Barron’s post-secondary education, but the top priority will be his safety “I think you’d rather have your college experience impacted a little than be kidnapped,” Eckloff added. This interview arrived after details of Barron’s experience with the Secret Service while in high school were leaked.
Classmates were used to seeing Barron Trump with Secret Service
Security was at high alert when Barron Trump had his high school graduation in May 2024 thanks to Donald Trump famously requesting time off from his hush money trial to attend the event. Not only was the number of Secret Service agents beefed up, but they even had agents with sniper rifles monitoring the crowd when Barron was given his diploma. On the surface that may have seemed jarring to his classmates, but details about Barron’s high school experience trickled in, and apparently, students were used to seeing Secret Service agents guard the youngest Trump.
Students who attended Oxbridge with Barron spoke to the Daily Mail in July about having Secret Service agents on the school’s campus. Reportedly, agents would drop off the politician’s son in an SUV every morning around 8:30 a.m. “He had multiple agents who would rotate throughout the day and there was always one with him wherever he needed to go,” a friend of Barron’s told the outlet. That involved even waiting outside the bathroom when Barron needed to use the facilities. “But after a while it became normalized. The kids barely took any notice of the Secret Service,” the friend added.
Melania Trump is most likely joining Barron at college, too
On top of a Secret Service detail in college, Barron Trump will most likely have another source of protection nearby: His mom, Melania Trump. According to reports, the former first lady is expected to follow her only child to university, and it’s probably not a coincidence that Barron matriculating in New York will give Melania an excuse to bail on the White House should Donald Trump win the 2024 election. Barron reportedly struggled with making friends in high school due to his shy nature, and Melania is dedicated to being there for her son so he doesn’t feel alone at college.
“Melania’s main job is taking care of Barron, and I think it’s possible that she will follow him wherever he goes to school,” a source told People in March 2024. “Melania is all about Barron and her family. She has always been family-oriented, and in addition to some of the charity work she has done, staying ahead of family issues is her priority.”
