Barron Trump, former president Donald Trump's youngest son, won't be a Florida delegate at the Republican National Convention in the end, according to Melania Trump's office.
"While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments," Melania Trump's office said.
Speaking to a Philadelphia radio station on Friday, the former president seemed to think his son was going to take part in the event as one of the state's 41 at-large delegates and play a role in the nomination of his father.
"He's really been a great student. And he does like politics," Trump said. "It's sort of funny. He'll tell me sometimes, 'Dad, this is what you have to do.'"
Barron's name was along three of his four siblings in the delegates' list along with Donald Trump Jr., Eric and Tiffany Trump, Ivanka the only one missing. After having a high-profile advisor role during his father's administration along with husband Jared Kushner, she said in 2022 she had no plans to be involved in politics.
Eric Trump will be the delegation's chairman, which will also include extended family and loyalists such as Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancée; Michael Boulous, Tiffany Trump's husband; and former state Attorney General Pam Bondi, a longtime Trump ally who has run pro-Trump super PACs.
"We have a great delegation of grassroots leaders, elected officials and even Trump family members," Florida GOP chairman Evan Power said before the news about Barron's decline. "Florida is continuing to have a great convention team, but more importantly we are preparing to win Florida and win it big."
Trump won the state the two times in which he ran for president, achieving a three point lead in the 2020 election, which he ended up losing against Joe Biden. Florida has largely voted Republican over the past years, with Governor Ron DeSantis also winning a second term in the latest elections.
This led Florida to become focal point as the two high-profile Republican dominated the Republican presidential conversation and DeSantis launched a short-lived run that ended after the Iowa primaries. Florida party officials largely backed Trump over the governor, showing his enduring influence in the party.
Barron is graduating from high school next week, an event the former president mentioned during his hush money trial while criticizing the judge for not allowing him to attend the ceremony. Judge Juan Merchan finally made sure there will be no court in session on May 17 so Trump can be present at the event.
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