Melania Says Barron Trump Would Be Different If He Grew Up Like Her

Former first lady Melania Trump reflected on her upbringing in Slovenia and said in a recent interview that her son, Barron, would be different if he had experienced a childhood like the one she had.

The former first lady’s memoir, which was released on Tuesday, recounts her childhood in Slovenia. Melania credits her parents for giving her a “beautiful” childhood and said she was too young at the time to know the darker parts of the communist society she grew up in, but added that Barron’s life in America was different from hers as a kid.

“I’m sure he will be different, because his life will be different,” Melania told Marc Beckman, host of Some Future Day podcast. “It will be a different way of growing up than the way he does now. It’s the influence of the community, the influence of the family and teachers around you. So, of course, yes, I think it’s very important in what culture and which community you’re growing up.”

Barron has maintained a relatively private life compared to his siblings, with his parents emphasizing their desire to shield him from the public spotlight. Former President Donald Trump has praised him for getting good grades in school and being a great kid. Barron started college at New York University in August after an appearance at his father’s rally sparked speculation he might go into politics.

In the 80s, when Melania was growing up, Slovenia was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a communist state led by Josip Broz Tito until his death in 1980. Slovenia, the wealthiest and most industrialized of Yugoslavia’s republics, experienced relative economic stability and greater openness compared to other Eastern Bloc countries.

However, it was still under a one-party system, with limited political freedoms and heavy government control. As the decade progressed, growing nationalistic sentiments and economic struggles began to challenge the unity of Yugoslavia, setting the stage for Slovenia’s eventual push for independence in 1991.

“I didn’t feel it because I had a beautiful childhood, and when you’re that age, you don’t really know anything better,” Melania said. “You just have a childhood, you leave, you go to school, you go to the classes, you play sports, you spend time with the family, and that is all. You don’t know what’s really going on in the country.”

She shared as a teenager, she became fascinated with MTV when it launched in 1981. A fan of Pink Floyd, then and now, she recalled playing their albums on her record player.

Melania moved to the United States in 1996 to pursue a career in modeling. She became a U.S. citizen on July 28, 2006. She had obtained a green card through the EB-1 visa program in 2001, often referred to as the “Einstein visa,” which is reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability in fields such as arts, sciences or business.

In an interview with Fox News, Melania said her mother moved to the United States from Slovenia to be closer to Barron, likening her to a “second mother” for him.

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