Where is Baron Trump? Donald Trump remembers son during RNC speech, 'Barron....'

Barron Trump absent from father, Donald Trump's RNC speech, only child not in attendance, despite being selected as delegate

Barron Trump was absent from his father, Donald Trump’s, closing-night speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Thursday, making him the only one of the former president’s five children not in attendance.

Barron Trump raises a clenched fist after he is introduced by his father, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Doral, Fla., July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)(AP)

Barron, who just turned 18 in March, has relatively stayed “off limit” compared to his siblings. However, on July 9 he attended his father's campaign rally in Miami, Florida. “That’s the first time he’s done it. That’s the first time, right?” Trump told his followers, per The Hill.

“You’re pretty popular; he might be more popular than Don and Eric. We gotta talk about this.”

With Melania Trump’s office issued a statement in May indicating that Barron would not attend the convention, despite being selected as one of the state’s at-large delegates by the Republican Party of Florida. “While Barron is honoured to have been chosen… he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments,” Melania’s office explained. Earlier on Thursday, Politico also reported that Barron would not be present.

Trump children take center stage at RNC

Although he was absent, Barron, who recently graduated from high school and plans to attend college in the fall, received a warm, if slightly unusual, mention from his father during his speech. “I also wanna thank my entire family for being here. Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared. Eric and Lara. Tiffany and Michael. Barron.” Trump paused, smiling, and mumbled, “We love our Barron.” The crowd went into laughter.

The rest of the Trump family took on prominent roles throughout the three-day convention. Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump served as at-large delegates for Florida, with Don Jr. and Eric addressing the crowd in Milwaukee on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, and Kai Trump, Don Jr.’s daughter, also spoke at the RNC.

Melania made a rare public appearance at the convention on Thursday night, arriving shortly before her husband took the stage, donning a red pant-suit. Unlike previous conventions in 2016 and 2020, she did not address the audience, and took a seat in the VIP box following Eric Trump's speech.

Barron was not present at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally four days later, where a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump, resulting in one attendee’s death and critical injuries to two others.

Melania released a lengthy statement condemning the assassination attempt a “heinous act.”

“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she expressed, and added, “I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.”