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Topics: Politics, US News, Melania Trump, Donald Trump, Barron Trump
Lucy Devine
Topics: Politics, US News, Melania Trump, Donald Trump, Barron Trump
Melania Trump has responded to a conspiracy theory about her son, Barron Trump, and Harvard University.
Barron is the only child of Donald and Melania Trump; however, he has kept largely out of the spotlight except for a few public appearances here and there.
Earlier this week, a rumour emerged that the 19-year-old had applied to study at Harvard University but was allegedly rejected.
It seems the hearsay has been circulating following reports that President Trump has ordered federal agencies to sever government contracts with the university, according to The New York Times.
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The cuts are alleged to be worth $100 million (£74 million); meanwhile, The New York Post further reports that Trump's administration has already frozen approximately $3.2 billion in contracts and grants with the prestigious school in the last month.
It comes after the administration took measures to end Harvard University's ability to enrol international students.
Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, ordered the termination of Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification effective for the 2025-2026 school year, the department said in a statement last Thursday (22 May), accusing the university of 'fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus'.
In a letter to the university, Noem gave Harvard the opportunity to regain its certification by turning over a raft of records about international students within 72 hours, including any video or audio of their protest activity from the past five years, Reuters reports.
Harvard has since called the move 'unlawful' in a statement. They responded: "We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard's ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation - immeasurably.
"We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission."
Following the ongoing dispute, a representative for Melania has put an end to the rumours that Barron was rejected from Harvard, calling them 'completely false'.
"Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false," said Nicholas Clemens, Melania's communications director.
Barron lives in New York and is currently a student at New York University (NYU).
The teenager has been studying and attending classes at New York University's Stern School of Business since September last year, having graduated from Florida's Oxbridge Academy.
His mum has previously said that Barron's college experience is likely to be quite different from some of the other students, explaining to Fox & Friends last year: "I don't think it's possible for him to be a normal student. His experience at college — it's very different than any other kid.
"I'm very proud [of] how he's handling [it]. He's very strong and he knows that he's in a different position than other children."
Tyla has contacted Harvard University for comment.