Donald Trump's youngest son Barron to represent Florida at Republican convention
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and his son Barron walk to the White House from Marine One in Washington, U.S. August 16, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo
By Gram Slattery
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, will be one of the delegates representing Florida at the Republican National Convention in July, a notable move given that he has kept largely out of the public eye so far during the campaign.
A campaign official confirmed an earlier report from NBC that Barron Trump had been selected by the state party as a delegate from Florida.
FILE PHOTO: Barron Trump walks to the White House from Marine One in Washington, U.S. August 16, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo
Barron, 18, is “very interested in our nation’s political process,” said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal campaign matters.
In Florida, presidential campaigns submit a list of proposed delegates to the state party, which in this case would have included Barron.
His selection underlines how deeply the Trump family has become involved in Republican politics. Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law, was named co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., Barron’s older brothers, have been active on the campaign trail. Both are also on Florida’s 41-person delegate list for the convention in Milwaukee, the campaign official said, along with Tiffany Trump, Trump youngest daughter.
FILE PHOTO: Barron Trump, son of U.S. President Donald Trump, walks to the Marine One helicopter with his parents as they depart for travel to Florida from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 26, 2019. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo
Ivanka Trump, Trump’s older daughter, is the only child of the former president not on the delegate roster.
Delegates are allocated following primary contests in each state. While the rules are complex, delegates are typically assigned to represent a candidate at the convention, where the nominee is officially selected.
Given Trump’s domination of the Republican nominating contest, almost all delegates in Milwaukee will be supporting the former president.
Barron is due to graduate high school on May 17.
The judge overseeing Trump’s criminal trial in New York for covering up a hush money payment to a porn star has allowed the former president to take the day off to attend the graduation ceremony.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Michael Erman)