In her recently published memoir, former First Lady Melania writes Melania Trump speaks about the deeply hurtful rumors that her son, Barron Trumphas autism. These rumors, which first emerged in 2016, led to waves of online speculation, public scrutiny and ultimately harassment against the then 10-year-old boy.
In her letter, Melania highlights the impact of these false assumptions and explains how they resulted in lasting emotional damage to her son and her family. Here's how the incident unfolded and why the former first lady believes such speculation is harmful.

The Origins of Autism Rumors

The rumors surrounding Barron Trump's alleged autism began after a viral video surfaced following the 2016 Republican National Convention. Barron's facial expressions and actions in this video were examined and captioned to raise the possibility that he may have autism. The incident became even more heated when comedian Rosie O'Donnell posted the video on social media and speculated that he may have autism. In her memoir, Melania Trump reveals that this event was not only frightening for her as a mother, but also extremely stressful, as Barron was abruptly thrust into the public eye in an unprecedented way.

Melania's reaction and decision to speak out

Melania, the former first lady, speaks about her decision to speak out about the autism allegations and emphasizes her responsibility as a protective mother. Melania explains that she initially preferred to remain silent because she believed the rumors would die down. However, as the murmurs grew louder and more people joined in, she felt compelled to confront the false accusations. “I was horrified by the cruelty,” she says, adding that the suggestion appeared to be aimed at harming her family rather than raising awareness of autism. Her words are a call for sensitivity, especially when it comes to children in public spaces.

The Impact of Speculation on Barron's Well-Being

In the memoir, Melania also highlights the consequences these autism rumors had on Barron, who was just a child when the viral video circulated. She talks about the pain of having her son bullied and feeling like he was being monitored based on false assumptions. Barron's reaction was one of perplexity and hurt, she explains. Melania claims that such public speculation can have long-term psychological effects on children, including feelings of isolation and altered self-image, and emphasizes the importance of allowing children to grow up without public scrutiny, regardless of their family background.

Photo: AP Photo

Autism Advocacy and the Harm of Misinformation

In her memoir, Melania discusses her views on autism awareness and expresses her respect for families and individuals affected by autism spectrum disorder. However, she emphasizes that speculation about a child's possible diagnosis on social media is harmful, not helpful. It is noted that public speculation can create stigma, reinforce stereotypes, and ultimately harm both the individual being speculated about and the autism community as a whole. A diagnosis as complex as autism should only be made by medical professionals, not through armchair analysis on social platforms.