Melania Trump discusses Barron Trump’s autism rumors and experiences with bullying in upcoming memoir
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Barron Trump, the only son of Melania Trump and former president Donald Trump, was targeted by a malicious viral video in November 2016.
With the former first lady's memoir set to release on October 8, she has recently spoken out about the bullying her son endured in person and online, an issue attributed to Rosie O'Donnell.
Melania Trump addresses autism rumors about Barron Trump
According to the Daily Beast, which has reviewed a copy of her 184-page book, Melania has addressed the persistent rumors about Trump's youngest child possibly having autism.
In her book, 'Melania,' the former first lady targets her husband's detractors and revisits several controversies that have followed them since Trump's 2015 candidacy.
The section on O'Donnell may be particularly harsh toward one of the couple's supposed adversaries and offers a rare glimpse into the life of her 18-year-old son, whose privacy she has zealously guarded.
The dispute with O'Donnell started when Barron, now 18, was targeted in a viral video from November 2016. The video purported to show signs of autism spectrum disorder in Barron's behavior, like his lack of clapping after his father's speech at the Republican National Convention.
The comedian and former co-host of 'The View' once posted the video on Twitter, now X, to express sympathy for Trump's youngest son, describing it as an "opportunity to bring attention" to what she termed "the autism epidemic."
Melania Trump remarks 'Barron is not autistic'
Melania Trump has refuted the unfounded allegations about Barron's autism in her book, expressing that she was "appalled by such cruelty."
“It was clear to me that she was not interested in raising awareness about autism. I felt that she was attacking my son because she didn’t like my husband,” Trump's third wife responded assertively to O'Donnell.
She indicated that she had watched the entire video before it was removed by the person who originally posted it.
“Someone had painstakingly compiled the footage and added captions like, 'His hands are moving erratically and aren't touching each other. Then he was spotted making strange movements in his seat, typical of children with autism,'” she mentioned.
Melania further explained that Barron's behavior was appropriate for his age, as he was only ten years old at the time of the 2016 RNC in Cleveland.
“There is nothing shameful about autism (though O’Donnell’s tweet implied that there was), but Barron is not autistic,” she stated.
She characterized O'Donnell's actions as "devastating as a parent" and accused her of "sheer malice." Barron's mother also confessed that it felt as though her heart was breaking into a million pieces.
Shortly after Melania engaged an experienced attorney to confront the creator of the video, O'Donnell retracted her tweet and offered an apology, stating that one of her daughters is on the autism spectrum.
Sharing her experience of Barron being bullied both in person and online following the incident, she described it as a “clear indication of the irreparable damage caused.”
Melania's book is set to be released just before the elections on November 5.
