As US President Donald Trump sharpens his attacks on Harvard University, a viral internet rumour has reignited—but Melania Trump has put the speculation firmly to rest.
Social media lit up again on Tuesday with whispers that Trump’s 19-year-old son Barron was rejected by Harvard, fueling speculation that the president’s fiery feud with the Ivy League school was personal. But according to the First Lady’s office, it’s nothing more than internet fiction.
“Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false,” said Melania Trump’s communications director Nicholas Clemens in a statement.
The denial comes as President Trump announced he was cutting the federal government’s remaining $100 million in contracts with Harvard, escalating a months-long standoff over university policy and autonomy.
The rumor mill first began churning in April, when Trump canceled a massive round of federal funding for the university after Harvard refused to comply with certain demands. That move prompted internet sleuths to theorize that personal grievances—particularly involving Barron—were at play.
“Did Trump target Harvard because the university rejected Barron?” became a recurring question across social platforms.
Even US lawmakers couldn’t resist the gossip. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reposted a news article with the comment, “Can’t help but wonder how many Trumps got rejected by Harvard.”
Can’t help but wonder how many Trumps got rejected by Harvard.https://t.co/HmUtLpnTpF— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) April 17, 2025
Barron graduated from Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach last May and is currently attending New York University while living at Trump Tower. His mother, known for fiercely guarding his privacy, has spent much of her time post-White House in New York with him.
President Donald Trump has railed against Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. The school filed a lawsuit on April 21 over the administration’s calls for changes to the university’s leadership, governance, and admissions policies. Since then, the administration has slashed the school’s federal funding, moved to cut off enrollment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status.
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