Barron Trump has not been seen at New York University (NYU) for several months, according to multiple sources. The 19-year-old son of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump began attending NYU’s Stern School of Business last September, but students and staff say he has been missing from campus this academic year.
Standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall, Barron would be hard to miss among his peers. Rob Shuter’s (#ShuterScoop) investigation found that sources, fellow students, and campus officials report not having seen Barron Trump in lectures or shared spaces during the current academic year.
A source told Shuter that if Barron were walking around campus, people would know because you don’t overlook someone that tall.
The mystery has students questioning his status. One source said that no student has seen him, noting that everyone knows the president’s son is supposed to be here, but it’s as if he’s a ghost.
A university official remarked that people joke that he’s only enrolled on paper.
No confirmed reason has been provided for Barron’s absence from campus. Student records are legally protected, and universities typically do not disclose individual enrollment or attendance details. It’s unclear whether Barron is late to begin his sophomore year or has withdrawn from the university.
An NYU security officer told the media that he had been informed Barron is spending the semester at a different NYU campus, but declined to share further details to respect the teenager’s privacy.
Barron’s college experience has been complicated from the start. When he attended classes during his freshman year, he traveled from Trump Tower to campus in black Secret Service SUVs that blocked Manhattan traffic. The security detail followed him everywhere, including into classrooms where he sat in the back surrounded by agents.
Students described his campus presence as minimal, even when he was attending regularly. One told TMZ that Barron “hardly exists” on campus, moving quickly between buildings with his security team.
Kaya Walker, former president of the NYU College Republicans, told Vanity Fair that Barron is “sort of like an oddity on campus. He goes to class, he goes home.”
Walker also told the magazine that a professor joked Barron “doesn’t really belong here.” Walker later resigned from her position amid backlash over her comments.
During his freshman year, Barron found alternative ways to connect with classmates. Students say he asked them for their Discord usernames and gaming tags so they could play video games together online. His favorite game was FC25, the soccer video game formerly known as FIFA.
The heavy security made normal college interactions nearly impossible. Secret Service agents accompanied Barron everywhere. They tried to blend in by wearing casual clothes and backpacks, but students noticed them easily.
One classmate said when asked to play basketball, Barron seemed interested, but the student got the sense “he wasn’t really allowed to do stuff.”
Another student described how Barron is “watched like a zoo animal.”
The security presence sometimes caused confusion on campus. In April, federal vehicles outside campus buildings initially scared students and faculty who thought they were immigration enforcement officers. Officials later confirmed that the vehicles were part of Secret Service protection for Barron.
Reports about Barron’s social life during freshman year were mixed. Some sources said he was adjusting well and even had a girlfriend. Others described him as struggling to fit in due to his circumstances.
According to a source who spoke with People.com, Barron isn’t particularly focused on dating or other common interests for someone his age. Instead, he is said to have spent his summer exploring possible business and technology projects while also dedicating a significant amount of time to being with his family.
Barron chose NYU over other options, including his father’s school, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. President Trump said they liked NYU and called it a highly rated institution.
NYU’s Stern School of Business accepts only 25 percent of applicants and ranks among the top business programs nationally. Annual tuition costs about $87,000.
The Trump family relocated from Florida to Washington, D.C., when Donald Trump assumed the presidency again in January. This change may have affected Barron’s living situation and college plans.
Melania Trump has expressed concerns about her son’s safety while trying to have a normal college experience. She has said her role involves always knowing where he is.
Barron’s extended absence from campus has left students and faculty wondering about his future plans and whether he will return to complete his degree at NYU. His situation highlights the challenges faced by children of high-profile political figures who seek normal educational experiences while navigating security requirements and public scrutiny.
NYU operates three primary degree-granting campuses in New York City, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, and also has numerous academic centers worldwide. One of these is located in Washington, D.C., offering the benefit of keeping him closer to his family.
