Donald Trump's Theory For Barron's Tough Upper Lip Is Actually Pretty Sad

Talk to Donald Trump long enough and chances are good he'll bring the conversation back around to his favorite subject — himself. That was certainly true during the former president's sit-down interview with psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw on June 6, 2024, which aired on Merit+. The wide-ranging discussion touched on issues from his conviction for falsifying business records at his hush money trial to potential vice presidential picks (no announcements there). The interview itself garnered criticism for being a softball interview and had many people on social media throwing out the same insult.

At one point, McGraw asked Donald how his youngest son Barron Trump, a recent high school graduate, was handling having a father in the spotlight, especially given the contentious political arena and Donald's highly publicized legal problems. That includes the guilty verdict in the 2024 trial that determined Donald illegally tried to hide records concerning the $130,000 he paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about their alleged sexual encounter. 

Donald said his son hasn't talked to him about what it's like having a notorious father. "He doesn't say it, and I think he doesn't say it because he doesn't want to hurt me," the former president said. While it's likely that Barron wouldn't want to hurt his father, it seems more feasible that this is another sign that Donald's relationship with his son is strained.

In past interviews, it seems like former president Donald Trump is a bit of a broken record when it comes to his son. He usually focuses on details like his son's height and his performance in school without getting into specifics about his son's personality or interests. So it's not surprising that Donald says Barron Trump hasn't talked to him about what it's like to have a dad in the public eye all the time since there's not much indication their conversations go beyond the superficial. However, it is sad to think that a young adult wouldn't be able to talk candidly with their parent about such huge events in their family's lives. It's also telling that Donald thought Barron was concerned about hurting him, rather than Donald being concerned about how his notoriety affected his son.

Well, it doesn't appear that Barron has much to worry about when it comes to hurting his father, as Trump is well able to gas himself up. In the June 6 interview on Merit+, Dr. Phil McGraw asked Trump what he says to himself when he's alone and the cameras are off. Trump seemed to suggest he uses that time to bolster himself. "You have to be very strong," Trump told Dr. Phil. "You have to be strong when you're fighting off evil forces."

For more, check out these other weird things about Donald's and Barron's relationship.