The One Sport Donald Trump Didn't Want Son Barron To Play
Donald Trump never shies away from a scrummage, loves tackling opponents, regularly butts heads with detractors, and rarely fumbles a GOP touchdown. However, sadly for the NFL, Trump chooses to swerve the gridiron, saving his skills for the political arena instead. Donald is determined that his son, Barron Trump, stays away from the field, too, making it clear that football is the one sport he doesn't want his youngest child to play.
Donald's relationship with Barron is an enigma for the most part. They're rarely seen interacting in public, and when they do, Barron usually looks less than happy. However, the proud dad regularly boasts about him in interviews and on the campaign trail. In fact, sometimes it seems like Donald can't stop talking about Barron's height and physical prowess. "Barron is a very good athlete," Donald bragged to Megyn Kelly in a September 2023 sit-down. "He's a good kid. He's a good-looking kid. He's a great student."
Barron frequently shows off his athletic talents on the football field — but the soccer one, not American. In June 2022, a video surfaced of Barron playing footie, and his impressive tackling and shooting skills had commenters drawing a comparison with former England striker Peter Crouch. And Donald's there for it. He boasted about Barron's love of soccer to FIFA president Gianni Infantino during an August 2018 White House visit. It's a whole different ball game when it comes to American football, though, as Donald believes its dangers far outweigh its merits.
Donald wanted to keep Barron off the gridiron
Donald Trump is determined to keep Barron Trump away from playing football amid concerns over the sport's safety. 45 shared his worries in an interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan in February 2019. Donald said he wouldn't stop Barron from playing if he really wanted to. However, he would never encourage him to.
"I mean, it's a dangerous sport, and I think it's really tough," he said. "I thought the equipment would get better, and it has. The helmets have gotten far better, but it hasn't solved the problem." Donald said he loved watching football but would hate to see Barron on the gridiron. "I've heard NFL players saying they wouldn't let their sons play football," he shared. "So, it's not totally unique."
Donald's love of football goes back a long way. He once owned the New Jersey Generals, which competed in the 1980s' original version of the USFL, which The Guardian claimed "Donald Trump helped kill." He's all about the New England Patriots these days, though. The team's owner, Robert Kraft, ex-coach Bill Belichick, and retired star quarterback Tom Brady had a super close relationship with Donald. "He's a good friend of mine. He's always been so supportive of me," Brady told WEEI in December 2015 (via NBC Sports). "He's always invited me to play golf, and I've always enjoyed his company."
Donald wanted to matchmake Ivanka and Tom Brady
Donald Trump's deep-seated concerns about the potentially perilous nature of American football are so profound that it's the one sport he doesn't want his son, Barron Trump, to play. These concerns are not unfounded. A 2017 Harvard Medical School report revealed that players are highly susceptible to a range of serious long-term injuries, both neurological and physical, including mental illness, memory loss, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which mimics symptoms of dementia, arthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, and heart conditions.
Still, Donald manages to put his concerns aside to enjoy watching others risk their well-being for entertainment. Although he wasn't a fan of Barron suffering repeated blows to the head, it didn't stop him from seriously fangirling over former New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady. In fact, Donald was such a Brady admirer that he was eager to marry him off to his daughter, Ivanka Trump.
Donald shared his Brady desires during a 2004 interview with his old pal, Howard Stern (via Boston.com). "Tom Brady, the quarterback, is somebody that really likes Ivanka, and he's a great guy and I got to know him at the Miss Universe contest," Trump said. "I think he's great. He's 25 years old. He's Mr. All-American," he continued, "Well, it could happen. I mean, he'd like to, and we'll see." Sadly, Donald was ultimately forced to make do with Jared Kushner instead, while Brady scored a bona fide supermodel, Gisele Bündchen.