What to Know
After President Donald Trump announced U.S. military operations in Iran, he spoke about people dying in a way that many thought to be overly casual and detached. Multiple seemingly apathetic comments that he made sparked backlash, and also led to a wave of questions about whether he’d feel the same way if his own loved ones were among those risking their lives in his war.
The president has never served in the military. He avoided the military draft five times. Four of those times were while he was in college, but after he graduated, a bone spurs diagnosis helped him avoid fighting in the Vietnam War. Now, Trump’s youngest child, Barron, is 20 years old, and people have been calling for him to serve in the military.
MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell has accused Barron of following in his dad’s footsteps.
Barron, who recently celebrated his birthday and is a student at New York University, tends to stay out of the spotlight, and his mom, First Lady Melania Trump, is said to be extremely protective. O’Donnell referred to him as “spoiled” during his “The Last Word” show because he has not joined the military.
“After Barron Trump celebrated his 20th birthday in lavish style last week – as a Trump, he could have marched straight down to a recruiting station and joined the army to fight in his father’s war,” he said. “But he didn’t.”
And although people often pick on Barron specifically (at least when it comes to military service), O’Donnell did also point out that the president’s kids Tiffany and Eric could enlist. Of course, they have not done so.
He argued that this would’ve been “inconceivable” in the past.
To be fair, there are people (other than O’Donnell) who are outraged by this, or at least talking about it. The hashtag #SendBarron has even been trending on social media. But O’Donnell acted like the way the Trump family has avoided military service would’ve been a major “scandal” in the past, not just a hashtag or common talking point.
“It used to be unthinkable that a president of the United States could lead the country in war while his sons refused to go to war,” he said. “All four of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s sons served in the military in World War II — four of them! And no one considered that heroic.”
He added, “That would have been a scandal, just as it is now completely inconceivable that a Trump would ever serve in the military under any circumstances.”
O’Donnell also compared the Trump family to the British Royal family.
Former Governor Jesse Ventura:
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 24, 2026
“How can you send someone else’s kids to war if you won’t send your own? So I’m calling on Barron Trump to enlist in the US military. Do something your father never had the courage to do.”
pic.twitter.com/6lmPfye2ws
Not because they are similar to each other, though. Instead, because the Trumps seem more “spoiled” than actual royalty. O’Donnell mentioned how Queen Elizabeth II served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II, when her father was king. She became a vehicle mechanic. Meanwhile, O’Donnell questioned whether Barron can even drive.
“Does Barron Trump know how to drive?” O’Donnell questioned. “Would he drive an ambulance in the army? Or is he not quite as tough as the 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth was when she joined the war effort?”
According to him, “That is what it means to be a Trump – more spoiled than the British royal family.”
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