Melania Trump sets the record straight on Harvard conspiracy theory involving son Barron

WASHINGTON, DC: First Lady Melania Trump is done with the baseless whispers about her son.

On Tuesday, May 27, she finally shut down a rumor that her husband’s recent vendetta against Harvard University was fueled by their son Barron being rejected from the Ivy League school.

Melania Trump stands on business

To recap, President Donald Trump has been coming down hard on Harvard lately. He’s accused the school of discrimination, slashed federal funding, tried to block international students from enrolling, and is now threatening to cancel $100 million worth of contracts.

He’s also demanding Harvard dismantle its entire diversity, equity, and inclusion program, which the university has flat-out refused to do, Hello! Magazine reported.

As Trump’s feud with Harvard escalated, rumors swirled that it was because the university supposedly snubbed Barron during his college application process. 

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) posted on X, "Can't help but wonder how many Trumps got rejected by Harvard," alongside an article breaking down Trump’s attacks.

"Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false," the First Lady clarified via her communications director, Nicholas Clemens.

It’s worth noting that Harvard is tough to get into—it rejects a whopping 96% of applicants. Still, the school isn’t taking Trump’s threats lying down and has filed multiple lawsuits in federal court.

Barron Trump carves his path

Barron Trump ended up charting his course, far from the family’s Ivy League trajectory. Instead of following in the footsteps of other Trump children who went to the University of Pennsylvania or Georgetown, Barron enrolled at the Stern School of Business at NYU. He completed his freshman year in 2024–2025.

The decision surprised many, but President Trump explained the move in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying his son had been accepted to "a lot" of colleges before choosing NYU. 

"He's a very smart guy, and he'll be going to Stern, the business school, which is a great school at NYU," Trump told the outlet. "It's a very high-quality place. He liked it. He liked the school."

Stern is no second-tier option—it’s one of the most elite business schools in the US, accepting just 1 in 20 applicants. The president added, "We liked NYU. I've known NYU for a long time, but it's one of the highest rated."

He even admitted Wharton, his alma mater, was on the table. "I went to Wharton, and that was certainly one that we were considering. We didn't do that. We went for Stern. He's a very high-aptitude child, but he's no longer a child. He's just passed into something beyond child-dom. He's doing great."

Barron’s college experience, unsurprisingly, hasn’t been typical. Melania opened up about how different things have been for him during his freshman year, especially when his dad was out on the campaign trail.

"I don't think it's possible for him to be a normal student. His experience at college - it's very different than any other kid," she said during an interview on Fox & Friends. "He's very strong, and he knows that he's in a different position than other children."

Barron Trump's political savvy

But don’t think Barron Trump’s just been hitting the books—he’s been helping his father politically too.

According to Melania, her son played a pivotal role in their 2024 election victory, helping his father tap into the elusive Gen Z demographic.

"He is a grown young man. I'm very proud of him about his knowledge, even about politics and giving any advice to his father - he brought in so many young people," she gushed.

She explained how Barron understood exactly how to reach his generation. "He knows his generation, because nowadays the young generation, they don't sit in front of the TV anymore. They're all on the tablets, they're on the phones, and all of these podcasts and streamers."

Barron didn’t just give casual tips—he was almost a key strategist. "He was very vocal, and he gave an advice to his father, and was incredible how he brought in success because he knew exactly who his father needs to contact and to talk to," Melania added.