Barron Trump's Reaction To Dad Donald's Dance Moves Proves He's A Typical Teen

Donald and Melania Trump have taken immense care to protect their only child's privacy, particularly during and after their White House years. That's why new clips of Barron Trump always cause a stir — the public is eager for any glimpses of him whatsoever. Barron finally came of age in 2024 and, poised to enter college, he began gradually making more public appearances, which were naturally accompanied by the expected scrutiny. The teenager was appropriately somber and respectful at two family funerals: The 2022 service for his father's first wife, Ivana Trump, and the January 2024 funeral of his beloved grandmother, Amalija Knavs. 

But his sighting at the Mar-a-Lago Easter luncheon offered a fuller picture of Barron's personality. Meidas Touch founder, and frequent Trump critic, Ron FIlipkowski posted several clips of the famous family's appearance on X, formerly known as Twitter. In one, Barron appeared listless at the Easter dinner table, elbows propped up and staring straight ahead as he sat across from his sister-in-law, Lara Trump, and her daughter, Carolina Trump. 

Trump arrives at Easter dinner with Barron showing off his signature dance moves. pic.twitter.com/Os9CiRUAPk

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 1, 2024

The second, short video showed Donald and Barron entering the ornate hall to a crowd of cheering guests. The former president then performed what has come to be known as his signature move: A sort of side-to-side elbow pump. His son's amused expression said it all: There goes Dad, trying to be cool again. Barron even stayed a couple of feet back from Donald, as if to deny any association. And respondents were right there with him.

By now, Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, should be used to his dad's quirks, which include but aren't limited to his fondness for fast food and his need to loudly express his opinions on social media. So Donald's fist-pumping "dance," which he often employs when he makes a big entrance at social events, is nothing new. But that doesn't mean he has to like it. Teens are hard-wired to cringe when their parents do anything to call attention to themselves, and Barron's reaction on Easter was one any 18-year-old might have had: A little smirk and a slowing of his step.

More than 1,000 followers commented on the shared video on X. "Barron doesn't look comfortable," noted one. "Just kind of 'lemme go that way now...' and he walks off." Similarly, another person mused, "Poor kid. I bet he can't wait to get away to college." A third spoke with the wisdom of a parent: "No teen wants to be around their parent(s) under normal circumstances. This is not a normal circumstance and Barron looks like he'd rather be anywhere else."

But another party was more interested in Barron's appearance in general. Looking sharp in a dark suit, yellow tie, and slightly pompadoured hair, the teen bore more than a passing resemblance to his dad. "It seems they have the same hairstylist!" they exclaimed, adding sagely, "Barron needs to step out and gain his own identity. Hopefully, he's not emulating his father [another] way as well."

As Carl Pickhardt, psychologist and author of the book "The Connected Father," explained to Fatherly, it's natural for adolescents to feel embarrassed by their parents as they work to establish their independence and sense of self. Teenagers are also acutely conscious of how they appear to their peers, so Dad's well-meaning jokes, comments, or, yes, dancing may make their kids worried that the cringeworthy behavior will reflect badly on them. So Barron may have been secretly wondering how his friends might react if the clip of Donald Trump made the rounds at school. 

But he'll have to get used to that kind of attention as Election Day nears. If Donald scores a second term, Barron may be expected to attend more official events when his school schedule permits. Now that he's a young adult, privacy will be less of an issue. In an exclusive interview with The List, body language expert Traci Brown told us how Barron feels in the spotlight after turning 18. 

She pointed out that he may not be entirely comfortable yet with public appearances, but Barron is at least trying to appear that way. Brown noted Barron's steepled-hands position at the lunch table, which projects an image of confidence. As time goes on, he should be more self-assured about appearing in public alongside his parents. Getting used to his dad's favorite arm-waving move, however, is another story.