Barron Trump skips dad Donald's birthday military parade amid family no-shows and nationwide protests

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump may have thrown a military-style spectacle for his 79th birthday, but his youngest son, Barron Trump, was nowhere in sight.

Trump’s birthday fell on the 250th anniversary of the US military, and a full-blown parade took over Constitution Avenue to mark the occasion.

Tanks rolled through the capital, helicopters flew overhead, and more than 6,000 uniformed troops participated. There were even historical uniforms and old military vehicles on display, hoping to take viewers through various periods of strife for the US Army.

But despite all the theatrics, Barron didn’t show up. Neither did Ivanka Trump, for that matter. That left some wondering why two of Trump’s most prominent family members skipped such a major public event, per the Irish Star.

Eric Trump was spotted in the third row alongside wife Lara. Don Jr and Tiffany were there too, though off to the side. But Barron — who turned 19 earlier this year — didn’t appear to be anywhere near the festivities in DC.

Weather warnings and protests against Trump's parade

To be fair, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Thunderstorms were expected in the area, and “No Kings” protests were taking place across the country in opposition to Trump’s return to the spotlight.

Still, the parade went ahead as planned. Trump stood front and center with first lady Melania by his side. He was joined by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr.

Also present were Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Senator Joni Ernst, and real estate executive Steve Witkoff, a longtime “golf buddy" of Trump.

One of the attendees, Mike Davis — a 30-year Army veteran — said told NPR, “The last time we've had a military parade of any sorts, I recall, is the Gulf War. So, it's been a long time and what better way to celebrate it than the 250th?”

Davis admitted that the national protests “cast a pall” on what he thought should have been a positive moment, but he also defended their right to speak out. “We go to war and defend the nation's rights for the citizens to do things like that, so more power to it," he said.

Ivanka Trump was in NYC, Barron's whereabouts remain a mystery

While it’s not clear where Barron was during the Saturday parade, speculation picked up after Ivanka was seen in New York a few days earlier. Late Thursday night, she was photographed leaving Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side with husband Jared Kushner.

The Daily Mail described her as “bleary-eyed” after what was reportedly a “wild night” celebrating Jared’s brother Joshua Kushner’s 40th birthday.

On Saturday, Ivanka posted a simple birthday message to Trump via Instagram Stories, sharing two throwback photos of her and her father from her childhood with the caption “happy birthday.”

That said, this isn’t the first time Barron has opted out of a Trump event. During the 2024 presidential campaign, the then-Republican candidate had selected Barron to serve as a delegate — but the teenager skipped that event as well, citing “prior obligations."