President Donald Trump has opened up about his parenting approach, offering insight into the values he instilled in his children, including his youngest son, 19-year-old Barron Trump. In a candid interview on the debut episode of the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast with columnist Miranda Devine, the 78-year-old leader revealed his personal “formula for good parenting.”
“I always said the same thing. I said: no drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes,” Trump told Devine, as reported by the Daily Mail. He added a fourth rule, though with a lighter tone: “I also would say don’t get tattoos, but I don’t say it too strongly, because a lot of people have gotten tattoos, and that’s what they choose to do.”
Trump’s firm stance on substance use stems from personal tragedy—his older brother, Fred Trump Jr., died of alcoholism at age 42. As a result, Trump has long abstained from drinking and promotes a clean lifestyle for his children.
The podcast touched on a variety of topics, including national protests, politics, and Trump’s feud with Elon Musk. However, it was the family moments that stood out, especially Trump’s comments about Barron, who recently completed his freshman year at New York University, according to Unilad.
Asked why Barron chose NYU instead of following in his father’s Ivy League footsteps, Trump explained: “He just wanted to be there. He wanted to be there because his grandmother was gonna stay and wait for him in an apartment near the school. And she passed away.”
Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs, died in January 2024 at the age of 78. Trump described her as “a fantastic woman,” and praised Melania as “a fantastic mother” who deeply loves their son. As for Barron, Trump beamed: “He’s very tall and he’s a good-looking guy.”
He also shared that he gave Barron a gentle warning before college: “I warned him a little bit about all the lefty professors” at NYU. Devine later asked if Donald Trump Jr. might consider running for office himself.
“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know. I think all of them probably have a future in politics, frankly. And Don is very good. A good guy. He’s an outdoorsman,” Trump said.
He went on to praise all five of his children, saying, “They were born very smart… Eric has done a fantastic job. Barron is great… Ivanka? She’s so great. And Tiffany has done really well. She went to a great law school and did very well. Always a good student.”