After President Trump attended Game 5 of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros, several of the president’s sharpest critics noted that he did not bring his 13-year-old son Barron to the baseball game.
Trump was loudly booed when his presence was announced to the exuberant crowd at National’s Park in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night. Chants of “lock him up!” reverberated throughout the packed stadium. Photos of the president revealed that he was joined in the luxury suite of the ballpark by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, and several other GOP lawmakers. None of Trump’s children or grandchildren were present for his contentious and seemingly unwelcome appearance at the game.
“First thought, Where is #Barron? First family snub,” said one user on Twitter.
[Opinion: Leave Barron Trump alone]
First thought, Where is #Barron? First family snub https://t.co/0oCj26xVGb
— gary g-man (@deep_blue4) October 28, 2019
Soon, journalists and media personalities also noted the absence of children in the president’s suite. “Wait, did he not bring Barron to the game?” said features editor for Business Insider Siddhartha Manhanta.
Wait, did he not bring Barron to the game?
— Siddhartha Mahanta (@sidhubaba) October 28, 2019
Wait, did Trump really not bring Barron to the game? Or his grandchildren?
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) October 28, 2019
Democratic congressional hopeful Rob Anderson was more specific in his critique of Trump’s parenting choices. “A Father not taking his son to a baseball game, let alone a World Series game, is perhaps the worst indictment of a ‘family man’ I’ve ever heard,” Anderson said. “I have a feeling Trump could have gotten Barron a ticket, if he got tickets for Scalise and Gaetz.”
Anderson, who lost his primary bid to represent Louisiana’s third district in 2018, noted the amount of attention his criticism of the Trump family drew. “Man, the numbers are ticking on this one. I’m guessing folks agree? I don’t give a shit about politics, right now,” said the Democrat hoping for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. “My dad played ‘A’ ball. My best memories as a kid were watching him play. My dad’s a Republican (and a Red Sox fan). We can still talk baseball.”
Man, the numbers are ticking on this one. I’m guessing folks agree? I don’t give a shit about politics, right now. My dad played “A” ball. My best memories as a kid were watching him play. My dad’s a Republican (and a Red Sox fan). We can still talk baseball.
— Rob Anderson for Louisiana (@RobAnderson2018) October 28, 2019
The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., blasted Anderson for opining on his family’s activities. “This is the dumbest take ever!” Trump, 41, exclaimed on Twitter. “I mean f-ing stupid!!! Maybe he knew that the scumbag lobbyists and liberal elite in the 94% leftist swamp of DC would behave exactly as they did and therefore shielded a child from that kind of behavior. p’s great parenting moron!”
This is the dumbest take ever! I mean f-ing stupid!!!
Maybe he knew that the scumbag lobbyists and liberal elite in the 94% leftist swamp of DC would behave exactly as they did and therefore shielded a child from that kind of behavior.
That’s great parenting moron! https://t.co/oeLqaR02Is
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 28, 2019
Other Twitter users pushed back on the questioning of Barron’s absence, noting that it was possible the teenage Trump didn’t want to be there and that his absence from the public eye was even beneficial to him. “For a while we haven’t seen Barron Trump mentioned (which is a good thing) but I’ve seen an uptick recently…including this tweet,” said journalist Yashar Ali. “He’s 13-years-old and didn’t choose this life. You have no idea why he wasn’t there, Rob.”
For a while we haven’t seen Barron Trump mentioned (which is a good thing) but I’ve seen an uptick recently…including this tweet.
He’s 13-years-old and didn’t choose this life. You have no idea why he wasn’t there, Rob.
Leave him alone. https://t.co/hqJhC4H0v7
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) October 28, 2019
“Trump knows he’ll get booed in Washington DC (where he got 4% of the vote), why would he take Barron?” said Rita Panahi, noting the hostile environment of the baseball game. “They are finding ever dumber things to bag him about.”
Trump knows he’ll get booed in Washington DC (where he got 4% of the vote), why would he take Barron? They are finding ever dumber things to bag him about. #TDS https://t.co/Z18yNYxJvl
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) October 28, 2019
