Melania Trump Retreats to Mar-a-Lago to Shield Barron Amid Legal Turmoil
(AP)
As the sordid details of Donald Trump’s alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels are aired in a Manhattan courtroom, his wife Melania Trump has retreated to the gilded cocoon of Mar-a-Lago. Her singular focus is on protecting their 18-year-old son Barron Trump as he prepares for college, shielding him from the harsh media glare and his father’s legal turmoil.
“He’s so regal. He’s a little Melania,” a source close to the family told Daily Mail, noting that Barron’s polished demeanor mirrors his mother’s poise. At a towering 6’7, Barron may physically resemble his father, but those familiar with the former First Family say the composed young man takes after Melania. The protective former first lady has created a “tight bubble” around Barron at the Palm Beach resort, especially as he approaches his high school graduation from the exclusive Oxbridge Academy.
While Donald Trump must maintain a stoic presence as witnesses like Daniels herself testify about the alleged $130,000 hush payment, Melania is focused on insulating her son from the sordid headlines. At Mar-a-Lago, she indulges in long beach walks and luxurious spa treatments, a world away from the Manhattan courtroom.
However, Melania’s sheltered existence with Barron is increasingly overshadowed by Donald’s alleged indiscretions. When the former president complained that the trial would force him to miss Barron’s graduation, it irked Melania that their son was being dragged into the controversy, according to former top aide Stephanie Grisham.
Melania has drawn a hard line, ensuring that Barron will not be a political pawn like his older half-siblings. After the Florida GOP named Barron a delegate to the 2024 convention, Melania swiftly declined on his behalf, citing prior commitments. This move underscored her influence over both her husband and her son, whom she has fiercely guarded from public life.
Melania’s dedication to shielding Barron’s privacy is reminiscent of her own reclusiveness since leaving the White House. She has made few public appearances, relishing her invisibility at Mar-a-Lago, apart from her small inner circle of family members, including her parents, who help raise Barron. Yet, the hush money trial has inevitably pulled back the curtain on the Trumps’ marriage.
Witnesses have depicted both an affectionate couple in constant contact and a more troubled dynamic where Donald dismissively claimed he could quickly replace Melania after the Daniels revelations. As she remains at Mar-a-Lago in familiar surroundings, Melania is helping Barron weigh his college options, with the University of Pennsylvania, Donald’s alma mater, reportedly a top choice.
Regardless of where Barron enrolls, those close to Melania say she may relocate to be near him, just as she has stayed by his side through the tumult. “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 Yahoo.
