Barron Trump, now 19 and in his sophomore year at NYU’s Stern Business School in Washington, D.C., is navigating college life like any other student—making friends, attending classes, and trying to fit in. But as the son of the President, normalcy comes with some pretty big caveats.
One of the toughest? He reportedly isn’t allowed to give out his personal phone number. And there’s a very real, very serious reason for that.
Barron Trump. Credit: Getty Images
Barron started at Stern’s New York campus before transitioning to D.C., and from day one, he’s been accompanied by Secret Service agents. They trail him everywhere—dressed casually in jeans and hoodies to blend in with the student crowd—but let’s be honest, a group of fit, alert adults shadowing a tall 6’9” guy doesn’t exactly scream “low-key.”
Still, Barron seems to be doing his best to keep things as normal as possible. He shows up to class with a simple black backpack slung over one shoulder. It’s nothing flashy—just a practical $88 bag for his laptop, notebooks, and pens. But some people on TikTok have pointed out there might be more to it than meets the eye.
One viral post put it like this: “Yeah, Barron grew up in total luxury—private planes, penthouses, the works—but he’s surprisingly down-to-earth. That cheap backpack? It’s not about being broke. It’s about not drawing extra attention. It helps him look like just another student, not the billionaire’s kid.”
The post went on to say that Donald Trump has always pushed frugality in private, even donating his presidential salary to charity. Barron, raised mostly by Melania, seems to have taken that to heart. No designer labels, no flashy watches—just a regular backpack and a quiet vibe. It lets him move through campus without too much fuss and maybe even join a study group without everyone freaking out.
But “low profile” only goes so far when you’ve got bodyguards. TMZ reported last year that Barron basically ghosts in and out of class—arrives, learns, leaves. No lingering in the quad, no grabbing coffee with the group. One insider said he “hardly exists” on campus in the social sense.
Why Barron Can’t Just Swap Digits Like Everyone Else
A source close to the situation told Page Six back in April that handing out his real number would be a nightmare. “Once one person has it, it’s everywhere,” they said. “Then you’d have randos blowing up his phone 24/7. He’d have to keep changing it, and it’d just be this endless cycle of hassle.”
So instead of late-night diner runs or frat parties, Barron’s figured out a workaround that actually makes a lot of sense for a guy his age: gaming.
He’s apparently big into online hangouts—Discord chats, Xbox Live sessions, the whole deal. Friends swap gamer tags instead of phone numbers. It’s private, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s secure. As the source put it, “It’s gamer bro culture. He knows the people he’s playing with. It’s his way of staying connected without the risk.”
You’ve gotta feel for the kid. College is supposed to be about freedom—first tastes of independence, dumb mistakes, lifelong friendships. But for Barron, every move is calculated, every friendship vetted. That black backpack? It’s not just a bag. It’s a symbol of how hard he’s trying to hold onto some piece of normal in a life that’s anything but.
