In her latest memoir titled “Melania,” former First Lady Melania Trump directly addresses long-standing speculations about her son Barron being on the autism spectrum.
The rumors started in November 2016 when comedian Rosie O’Donnell shared a widely circulated video suggesting Barron might be autistic. Her tweet read, “Barron Trump autistic? If so — what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic.”
This public conjecture led to swift condemnation, with critics arguing that it was inappropriate to discuss a 10-year-old’s health. Accusations were made that O’Donnell was leveraging Barron to indirectly target his father, Donald Trump, with whom she was publicly at odds. O’Donnell later clarified that her motivation came from her personal experience with autism, as her daughter was recently diagnosed. She stated her intent was to raise awareness, not to harm Barron.
In her memoir, Melania provides her perspective on the incident, viewing these rumors as malicious. She believed O’Donnell’s remarks were driven less by autism awareness and more by her disdain for Donald Trump. “No apology can undo the harm inflicted upon him,” Melania states, adding that the cyber and real-world bullying Barron faced inspired her to initiate the “Be Best” campaign.
The “Be Best” initiative, launched in 2018, focused on child welfare, online safety, and anti-bullying efforts, advocating for a positive digital environment for young people. However, the campaign encountered numerous challenges. Critics pointed out the contradiction between the campaign’s anti-bullying stance and President Donald Trump’s routine use of social media to publicly challenge adversaries. This apparent inconsistency drew criticism and undermined public support for the campaign.
Melania also faced strategic obstacles; her attempts to engage tech companies in discussions about online safety met resistance, notably during a 2018 White House meeting.
Currently, Barron is a freshman at New York University’s Stern School of Business, according to Melania. Instead of residing in a dorm, he opted for Trump Tower, valuing privacy and avoiding public attention. Melania describes him as a “remarkable young man” with a keen mind and diverse interests, including sports and business.
The memoir’s release aligns with Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Melania, who mostly stays out of the limelight, emphasizes that her priority has always been Barron’s privacy and welfare. The memoir also discusses her views on various topics from her tenure as First Lady, including her divergence from the Republican stance on reproductive rights.
The memoir includes numerous photographs of the former fashion model and chronicles Melania’s life, starting from her Cold War upbringing in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia), where her father was a prosperous businessman. It traces her relocation to New York at age 26 and her life with Donald Trump.
Though not as extravagant as Donald Trump’s claims, Melania adamantly holds onto the belief that the 2020 election was manipulated. In the memoir, she expresses concerns that the media, Big Tech, and the deep state were all determined to prevent Trump from winning by any means necessary. She was worried that the election would not be fair.
Melania discusses “suspicious voting activity reported nationwide” on Election Day, but does not acknowledge the fact that around 30 judges—some appointed by her husband—dismissed Trump’s election lawsuits due to lack of merits.
She also omits any mention of the federal and state criminal charges leveled against the former president in Washington, D.C., and Georgia related to his efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden.
Melania Trump is not the only first lady to disagree with her husband on key issues. Laura Bush also supported abortion rights despite her husband, George W. Bush, being an opponent of abortion.
Recent polls indicate that Donald Trump, who has claimed that the constitutional right to abortion was abolished due to the three Supreme Court justices he appointed, is lagging behind Kamala Harris among female voters.
Melania frames the conversation around personal freedom, asserting, “A woman’s fundamental right to individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy.”
