Photos and videos of the Great American State Fair had people on social media making jokes about how empty it looked. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump tried to say that the fair was actually “packed.” But even some of his kids didn’t show up for it.
The Great American State Fair started on June 24 and lasted for 16 days, yet Barron Trump and Ivanka Trump didn’t manage to make it there. So, they also missed their father’s Fourth of July speech and the fireworks show that followed.
To be fair, staying out of his father’s shenanigans is nothing new for Barron.
He’s been known to lie low, and Ivanka has also said she’s prioritizing her personal life during their dad’s second term. But their absences come amid speculation about family drama. Barron has skipped other events in the past (including Trump family events), and he reportedly didn’t invite his older siblings to his birthday party. Apparently, they’re just not that close.
First Lady Melania Trump has missed out on her share of events as well, but she did join her husband for his July 4 festivities (though some people think a body double was actually there in her place). Melania has said that Barron was involved in his father’s campaign (by helping him identify the best podcasts to appear on). “He gave him all of the ideas, who [his dad] needs to talk to, all of these YouTubers and, you know, podcasts,” Melania revealed earlier this year. “So, he was really a smart mind behind it.”
But Barron hasn’t actually commented on his father’s politics or made any media appearances, so most of what is known about him is based on the limited information some of his relatives have shared publicly (like how he’s apparently one of the only people in the family who can recognize AI).
There are rumors that the president’s granddaughter Kai is actually his “favorite.”
In spite of Barron’s alleged involvement in his dad’s campaign, insiders have claimed that the president seems more interested in spending time with his granddaughter Kai, who is Donald Trump Jr.’s eldest child.
The 19-year-old has not expressed an interest in getting directly involved in politics, but unlike Barron, she’s active on social media and frequently appears in public with the president. An insider told commentator Rob Shuter that Kai “makes him laugh, keeps him feeling young, and genuinely loves being around him.”
A source also said, “Donald loves that Kai connects with a younger generation,” even though she and Barron are around the same age.
The other Trump kids attended the July 4 festivities.
Don Jr., Eric, and Tiffany all stopped by the Great American State Fair. And although Barron and Ivanka didn’t spend the Fourth of July listening to their dad’s delayed speech, the president bragged about the turnout on Truth Social.
People had been told to evacuate due to severe weather, meaning Trump’s speech started much later than originally planned. “The Crowd at 7:05 in the evening was 422,000 people!” Trump claimed on Truth Social. “All were forced to leave because of the weather, the event was cancelled, and everyone was gone because of lightning. When I heard that it was cancelled, I immediately overturned that decision, and waited a while for people to come back. Incredibly, at least 150,000 people returned, and it was an even more spectacular evening than it would have been as normalized!”
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