Trump’s remark about Melania loving ‘her son’ Barron more than him during Zelensky meeting raises eyebrows

The remark quickly sparked online backlash, with critics accusing Trump of narcissism and questioning his emotional connection to his own family
PUBLISHED AUG 19, 2025
Trump's remarks about Melania’s letter and their son Barron during Zelensky meeting went viral (Getty Images)
Trump's remarks about Melania’s letter and their son Barron during Zelensky meeting went viral (Getty Images)


 

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump, amid high-stakes peace talks with leaders from Ukraine and Russia, made headlines for an unexpected and deeply personal admission involving his family.

During a recent summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump claimed that Melania probably loves their son Barron more than anybody.

The remark quickly sparked a wave of online backlash, with critics accusing the president of narcissism and questioning his emotional connection to his own family.

Trump comments on Melania’s letter to Zelensky with unexpected remark

 U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is hosting President Zelensky at the White House for a bilateral meeting and later an expanded meeting with European leaders to discuss a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

During a high-profile meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 18, Donald Trump made an unusual remark that quickly stole attention from the serious discussions on Ukraine-Russia peace efforts.

While addressing a question about first lady Melania Trump's letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, where she pleaded for a ceasefire in the name of children suffering from the war, Trump diverted from the topic. 

Barron Trump and Melania Trump arrive for the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Ricky Carioti - Pool/Getty Images)
Barron Trump and Melania Trump arrive for the inauguration of President Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC (Ricky Carioti - Pool/Getty Images)

Instead of focusing on the contents of the letter, he commented on Melania’s deep affection for their son, Barron. “She’s got a great love of children. She has a wonderful son that she loves probably more than anybody, including me. I hate to say it,” Trump remarked. “But she loves her son... It was a beautiful letter. It was very well received by him [Putin].”

The off-topic response sparked criticism online, with many accusing Trump of narcissism and highlighting his repeated reference to Barron as "her son" rather than "our son."

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is hosting President Zelensky at the White House for a bilateral meeting and later an expanded meeting with European leaders to discuss a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. ( Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

At the beginning of the meeting, Zelensky, in contrast, began his stance by thanking Melania for her letter and even presented Trump with a handwritten note from Ukraine’s first lady—deliberately addressed to Melania. “It’s not to you, it’s to your wife,” he said, a comment that many interpreted as a subtle jab.

The rest of the meeting reportedly featured more odd moments from Trump, including a verbal gaffe where he referred to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the “Republic of the Condo.”

Trump’s weird confession sparks debate online amid peace talks

Trump's remarks about Melania’s letter and their son Barron quickly went viral, sparking a wave of backlash across social media.

Many users were baffled by Trump repeatedly referring to Barron as “her son” rather than “our son.” 

One person asked, “Does he know her son is also his son?” while another wrote, “I don’t understand why he wouldn’t acknowledge his son to be their son. I would be so offended if my husband stated our daughter was mine only. It takes two, does it not?”



 



 

Another commenter called it out directly, “She has a son... Pretty strange way to talk about your kid."



 

Some users were more focused on the context of the conversation, questioning the relevance of Trump's comments. “And this is going to bring about a peace deal how?” one person asked.



 

Others were simply outraged by the bizarre tangent. “What the f**k did he just say? What does her love for Barron have to do with a letter to Putin?” one user posted.



 

Another echoed the frustration: “Why does he always call Barron ‘her son’? It’s weird.”



 

One more commenter summed up the confusion, “What the hell does Melanie's love for HER son have to do with her letter to Putin??"



 

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online

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