Barron Trump and why people are obsessed with him

A young Barron Trump hops around his dad's office, telling his father and mother, Melania, "I like my suitcase." He picks up said Louis Vuitton suitcase and walks over to his mom. He clarifies: "I have to go to school now?" Melania tells him, "Yeah, you will have lunch, and then you go to school."

The 2010 "Larry King Live" video shows off his apparent Slovenian accent; it also netted upwards of 50 million views on TikTok in just two days time this week.

Yes, the 18-year-old youngest son of President-elect Donald Trump – and new New York University student – is having a moment online. People can't get enough of his childhood accent. But he's also being credited as a big reason why his dad was able to reach the Gen Z bros; reports say he told his dad which influencers to court. Some people have even made Barron Trump fan-cams, like you see people do for Hollywood celebrities. They're also marveling at his 6-foot-7 height. Marveling at his likeness to a young Donald.

"Obsessed with saying 'I like… I like my suitcase' like little Slovenian Barron Trump," an X user wrote. Others have chimed in: "That audio of Barron Trump saying 'I like my sootcase' sends me every time." "Barron Trump has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever and show up to NYU with an LV suitcase for class."

Why are people obsessed with all things Barron? Cultural experts think it's because he's serving as a young surrogate for his father, whose fan base has propelled him to the top job in the nation twice.

It comes amid Melania Trump's memoir addressing speculation her son had autism (he doesn't) and the damage it caused: "Barron’s experience of being bullied both online and in real life following the incident is a clear indication of the irreparable damage caused," she wrote.

Now, it's been reported that Barron is known in male-heavy online spaces because of his top alpha male influencer connections. "These influencers promote male power and dominance - and being in the White House is the highest representation of that," says psychologist Reneé Carr.

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'A more youthful Trump'

People have always obsessed over presidential sons and daughters. Amy Carter. Chelsea Clinton. Jenna Bush Hager. Sasha and Malia Obama, to name a few, "positioning them as fashionistas, socialites and scandalous content for entertainment news," says Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University. Many of these kids are protected until they're 18, and the press tends to leave them alone during childhood. Barron has now made it past that threshold.

But many online see Barron as more than a celebrity. He's a MAGA protégé – someone bullied who's overcoming it and returning stronger. He's "a more youthful Trump, and this helps to galvanize voting men of all ages, not only young ones," says Elisabeth Anker, professor of American Studies and Political Science at George Washington University. Trump voters see him as "the living embodiment of the figure of a manly, energetic Trump that so many of his supporters want," Anker says. Barron's reported influence on his father's podcast appearances imply he knows it, too.

Plus, he "humanized Donald Trump as a dutiful father for some conservative voters." A Dad listening to his son about what's hot for young people? Not much more relatable than that.

'He's just like me'

How does all this square with the memeification of Barron online? They're sides of the same coin. Donald Trump's fame is thanks to reality TV, to memes, to cultural influence. Signs point to Barron achieving a similar omnipresence in the TikTok age. While this invites popularity, so with it comes scrutiny.

"In the case of Barron, he has involuntarily functioned as a public figure since he was a minor," Williams says. Now that he's matured, the fanfare and scrutiny will only continue and at more intense levels.

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Chloe Hechter, a 23-year-old comedian, has made several videos about Barron. One of them features her playing a NYU student in class with him. "I obviously didn't vote for your dad, but I'm really glad we're in the same econ recitation," she says. While not obsessed with him, she knows content about him snags views.

"People like to find a sense of relatability within what's happening in the world," she says, "and I think social media's demographic is definitely a bit younger than the general news. So maybe people who are younger and are on TikTok don't necessarily relate to watching, MSNBC, but they'll be like, oh, 'Barron Trump is a freshman at NYU. He's just like me.'"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Barron Trump: Donald Trump reason why people obsessed