Donald Trump May Miss Barron's Graduation

Donald Trump may miss out on the graduation of his son Barron Trump because of the clash with the Stormy Daniels hush money trial.

Trump is set to become the first former president in United States history to stand trial in a criminal case. He was indicted in March 2023 on charges of falsifying business records relating to alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Daniels claimed that she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which he has denied. Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has said the case is politically motivated against him.

Barron Trump, 18, the only child from Melania Trump's marriage to the ex-president, has barely been in the spotlight during his father's latest presidential campaign. Following the end of his father's presidential term in 2021, Barron transferred to the Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach, Florida, where he is due to graduate with the class of 2024 on May 17.

On Monday, as the trial kicked off with jury selection, presiding Judge Juan Merchan, said he had received requests from Trump's attorneys for the former president to miss the trial on May 17 so he could attend his son's ceremony.

But, according to Inner City Press in a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, Merchan explained he could not rule at this time as it would depend on whether the trial was running on schedule. Jury selection in the trial is expected to last up to two weeks.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump's spokesperson via email for comment.

Since the youngest son of the former president turned 18 last month, he has been the focus of some attention after former NBC senior executive Mike Sington said that Barron Trump would be "fair game" after his birthday, sparking outrage from some Republicans.

While Trump and his adult children from his previous marriages have been under fire in the press and online on several occasions, Barron has avoided such criticism.

In a since-deleted post on X last month, Sington posted a photo of Trump and Barron, writing: "Barron Trump turns 18 today. He's fair game now."

"This is super creepy," wrote Garrett Ventry, former senior communications adviser to the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans.

Sington clarified his post, previously telling Newsweek via X direct message, "I posted he was 'fair game' now, meaning, as an adult, he's 'fair game' for criticism from the press. Someone pointed out to me 'fair game' could mean fair game to be harmed. I don't wish physical harm on anyone, so I took it down. I listen to the comments and criticism I receive."