The Rare Times Barron Trump Ditched His Suit For Normal Clothes

There's a large generational gap between father and son, but one thing Barron Trump and Donald Trump have in common is their preference for business attire. However, Barron has, on occasion, stepped out in casual looks that are hard to imagine his dad ever wearing.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, some users have noticed that Barron's outfit choices usually mirror those of his father. "I've never seen Barron Trump in anything but a suit," one person wrote. A well-tailored suit and tie are what the former first son is wearing in a 2024 photo tweeted by Justin Waller, a business associate of shady internet personality Andrew Tate. And according to Melania Trump, Donald's work uniform was already in Barron's wardrobe rotation at age 7. "He's not a sweatpants child. ... He likes to dress up in a tie sometimes like Daddy," she told ABC News in a 2013 interview. She did note that this wasn't a daily occurrence.

While he was living in the White House, Barron seemed to have more fashion freedom when his family traveled. An example of something he wore on Marine One is a red puffer coat, khakis, and white polo pictured above. The polo and khaki combo is Donald's go-to golf attire, but he doesn't usually sport such bulky outerwear. Barron's White House wardrobe also included graphic tees, pieces that were similar to some of his mom's clothing, and even an item previously worn by one of his dad's political foes.

In 2017, Barron Trump was photographed rocking a relaxed 'fit after a return trip to the White House on Marine One. He wore dark slim-cut jeans, New Balance sneakers, and a light blue J.Crew T-shirt with darker blue trim on the neck and sleeves. The words "The Expert" were emblazoned on the front, leaving netizens pondering what the tween might be an expert at.

Barron's outfit choice also had people joking that he was the brains behind Donald Trump's entire political operation. "I'm sure Barron's t-shirt speaks volumes. I'd trust his political decisions over his dads," one person quipped on X. During the first presidential debate in 2016, Donald had suggested that Barron might be more skilled than him in at least one area: combating cyberattacks. "He has computers. He is so good with these computers, it's unbelievable," Donald said. "The security aspect of cyber is very, very tough."

Barron's shirt didn't just inform Americans that he may possess mysterious capabilities — it also served as a message to the sartorial snobs who were turning their noses up at his casualwear. Months earlier, The Daily Caller had published an op-ed criticizing the then-11-year-old's clothing. It read in part, "The youngest Trump doesn't have any responsibilities as the president's son, but the least he could do is dress the part when he steps out in public."

Barron Trump might look like Donald Trump but taller when he wears a suit, but he's clearly learned the art of looking stylish in streetwear from his mother. In 2020, he jetted off to Palm Beach with his parents while rocking a black T-shirt, matching slacks, and an Alpha Industries flight jacket in "I really don't care, do u?" green. However, his look wasn't a callback to one of Melania Trump's most inappropriate outfits but was one reminiscent of an iconic movie costume.

As the Daily Mail pointed out, Melania had worn a similar ensemble in 2017. For a trip to Houston, Texas, she paid homage to Tom Cruise's "Top Gun" character, Maverick, in an army green bomber jacket and aviators. She also wore a black top and pants, but she probably should have taken footwear notes from her son. Barron kept his feet comfy in a pair of charcoal New Balance sneakers, while Melania was roasted for boarding Marine One in a pair of stilettos. She was headed to the Lone Star State to tour areas affected by Hurricane Harvey, and her impractical shoes had the Twitterverse in a tizzy. She changed footwear during her flight but could have spared herself the internet outrage-induced headache by wearing sneakers like Barron's to begin with.

Donald Trump famously dislikes sharks. They were swimming around in his head rent-free during a June 2024 campaign rally, where he yattered about a hypothetical situation: being in a sinking, battery-powered boat with a shark in the water. According to Stormy Daniels, Trump had previously spoken to her about his dread of the denizens of the deep. "He is obsessed with sharks. Terrified of sharks," she told In Touch. "He was like, 'I donate to all these charities and I would never donate to any charity that helps sharks. I hope all the sharks die.'"

Barron Trump was a baby when his father's alleged affair with Daniels occurred and was blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking in the ocean. But as he got older, maybe he developed a fascination with sharks rather than a fear of them. For a 2017 family outing, he rocked a pair of khaki shorts and a red J.Crew tee that featured a shark illustration and the words, "On your mark tiger shark." It may seem like a cute nonsense rhyme, but it's straight out of another scenario from Donald's worst nightmares: challenging a tiger shark to a race. According to Donald, he'd rather be electrocuted by a boat battery than be submerged near one of his oceanic enemies. If Barron knew about his dad's shark phobia when he wore that shirt, he was doing some first-rate trolling.

The beef between Barack Obama and Donald Trump is the stuff of political legend, so how did it escape Donald's notice that his son once dressed like his nemesis? It could be because black bomber jackets aren't really "The Apprentice" alum's style. Obama, however, looked effortlessly cool in the classic outerwear at a February 2019 college basketball game. His coat was a Rag & Bone design with a zippered pocket on one sleeve. It also featured an homage to his presidency: the number 44 embroidered on the same sleeve. The label's chief brand officer, Marcus Wainwright, spoke to GQ about the personalization, saying, "Not many people could have pulled it off that way. He's got style."

Later that year, Barron Trump tried to pull off a nearly identical look. In photos of the Trumps taken over the Thanksgiving holiday, an X user noticed that the then-13-year-old appeared to be wearing a similar bomber jacket, minus the embroidery. The rest of his monochrome ensemble consisted of jeans, a tucked-in T-shirt, his New Balance kicks, and a belt.

In response to side-by-side photos of Barron and Obama, one person tweeted, "Uh oh! Someone's gonna be grounded!" Another post read, "Every boy deserves a HERO to admire. There is hope for him yet."