Chelsea Clinton may not be the biggest fan of President Donald Trump, but she's still
sticking up for his youngest son, Barron. As a former first kid herself, Clinton knows
a thing or two about being scrutinized by the media and the public, and it's part of
why she's speaking out against that sort of behavior - especially when it comes to children.
She told The Guardian in 2018,
"For me, maybe because I've had so much vitriol flung at me for as long as I can literally
remember, people saying awful things to me even as a child, I've never found it productive,
personally, to engage in that way. To retaliate with crass language or insult someone personally
- I just don't think I'm built that way."
"Everything that people say to me on Twitter they say to me in person.”
“You…seriously?"
In a September 2020 interview with the Jemele Hill is Unbothered podcast, Clinton revealed
that she feels an obligation to defend other First Kids. She explained,
"I very much kind of felt protective of the Bush twins who were just a little bit younger
than me and certainly very protective of Sasha and Malia [Obama].
"I wanted them to have as normal a life as possible. And I knew that was gonna be hard,
but that it would be possible."
Having also included Barron Trump on her list, it wasn't the first time Chelsea advocated
for the current First Kid. In 2016, when Twitter users went wild with jokes about the youngest
Trump after his father's inauguration, Clinton penned a Facebook post telling people to back
off, adding,
"Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does - to be a kid."
Clinton thinks that presidential children should be allowed the space to live their
lives without having their every move tracked by the public. She told the podcast,
"I feel very protective of [Barron] too. I think he was […] 11 when his dad won and
that's a year younger than I was like when my dad […] went and took office."
"Like, he's a kid, he's a kid, like leave him alone. Like who knows what he's going
to be like when he grows up, like that's none of our business."
She also explained that it's unfair when anyone in the media offers their two cents on the
appearance of First Kids. At the time, multiple outlets were dragging Barron's casual, very
kid-appropriate wardrobe. And, for the record, this is the same kid who famously dressed
like a businessman, as a child. Chelsea said,
"Don't objectify this kid. I think he just turned 14. He's like that. He's like a teenager,
like, leave him alone. […] I […] have a whole lot of sympathy for any, any critiques,
criticism, pain, anger you want to hurl at his parents. [But] leave [Barron] alone."
Clinton's supportive words haven't gone unnoticed by Barron's mother, First Lady Melania Trump,
either. In 2017, when Clinton defended Barron from online bullying on Twitter, Melania tweeted,
"Thank you [Chelsea Clinton] - so important to support all of our children in being themselves!"
Donald Trump, Jr. has also thanked Clinton on the platform after she fired back at another
Twitter troll, in defense of Barron.
But while life inside the White House may be hard enough, for the president's kids,
it appears that the public scrutiny continues for the First Family long after they leave
office. Chelsea dealt with criticism for being too hidden away while she pursued her undergrad
degree at Stanford, then for socializing too much while she earned her Master of Philosophy
at Oxford. And Sasha and Malia Obama have faced the same obsessive critics since the
Obamas left Washington for Chicago.
Fortunately, the former First Kids club looks out for each other. Michelle Obama told Good
Morning America that her daughters are doing well these days, crediting Chelsea and George
W. Bush's twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, with making sure that happened. Michelle said
of the trio of First Daughters,
"I love those girls. I will love them forever for what kind of support they provided to
my daughters throughout that [experience]."
Jenna and Barbara famously left letters in the White House for the Obama girls, containing
advice covering everything from how to find loyal friends to the strategy behind sliding
down the White House bannisters. The Bush twins and Chelsea didn't stop advocating for
Sasha and Malia even when they went off to college. Michelle says their words made a
huge impact on their family, adding,
"[If] somebody went after them in the press, Jenna would get in there and say something.
Chelsea would send a tweet out."
It looks like whatever decisions Barron makes as a young adult, he'll have some fierce support
for life.
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