Barron Trump has moved into the White House as he begins his sophomore year at New York University, transferring from the school’s Manhattan campus to its Washington, D.C. location to be closer to his parents, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
The 19-year-old first son was noticeably absent from NYU’s flagship Greenwich Village campus during the first week of classes in September 2025, sparking speculation about his whereabouts. Security personnel at the Manhattan campus confirmed he had not been seen and indicated he was doing a semester at another NYU campus, though they declined to specify which one due to privacy concerns.
Sources revealed on September 9, 2025, that Trump relocated to the university’s Washington, D.C. Academic Centre while taking up residence at the White House. The D.C. campus accommodates up to 120 students each semester, offering courses in politics, public policy, history, economics, journalism, and environmental studies.
During his freshman year, Trump lived at Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan while commuting to classes at Washington Square. He would also travel to Palm Beach, Florida, to spend time with his father at Mar-a-Lago. The move to Washington represents a significant shift in his living arrangements, bringing him back to the executive mansion where he previously resided during his father’s first presidency.
The 6-foot-9-inch teenager spent his summer break working on financial projects and business ventures rather than typical college activities. Sources indicated he was actively developing his own financial interests and spent considerable time with business associates in that area. Reports suggest he could have earned up to 25 million dollars from cryptocurrency ventures tied to his family’s World Liberty Financial project.
Trump’s freshman year at NYU was marked by challenges adjusting to campus life. In February 2025, Kaya Walker, the former president of NYU’s College Republican club, described him as an oddity on campus, noting “he goes to class, he goes home.” Walker later resigned from her position after her comments drew backlash from national Republican leadership, who deemed them inappropriate.
Walker had told Vanity Fair that Trump seemed to be having a difficult college experience and appeared to want to be left alone. She noted that his significant height made him hard to miss on campus and that he was watched like a zoo animal. The security detail of black SUVs that transported him on the 20-minute trip from Trump Tower to the Washington Square campus made his presence particularly notable.
The transfer to the D.C. campus aligns with Trump’s reported interests in politics and technology. President Trump had previously mentioned in August 2024 that his son liked politics, calling it sort of funny. The president has also highlighted his son’s technological aptitude, describing it as unbelievable and noting his ability with computers and cryptocurrency.
The move brings Trump closer to his mother, who has taken on a more prominent role during the second Trump administration. Melania Trump has spearheaded anti-revenge porn legislation and been involved in diplomatic efforts regarding Russia’s war on Ukraine. She has also been leading a school artificial intelligence initiative.
During a White House Task Force on AI Education meeting, Education Secretary Linda McMahon suggested that Trump might be helping his mother with AI-related work and possibly charging her for it. The first lady nodded in response to the comment, indicating her son’s involvement in her technology initiatives.
Sources close to the family indicated that Melania Trump maintains constant oversight of her son’s activities due to concerns about his safety and well-being. A political source noted that the first lady watches him constantly to ensure nobody interferes with or bullies him, always knowing his whereabouts and activities.
NYU’s Washington, D.C. campus provides students with access to internships at government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations based in the capital. The program enables concentrated study and research while benefiting from Washington’s political and cultural environment. The university describes the faculty as world-class, consisting of visiting NYU faculty and those recruited from other universities and cultural institutions.
Trump was last seen publicly with his father at the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. Both the White House and NYU declined to comment on his current residence or academic arrangements, citing student privacy protections.
