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Chelsea Clinton says that Barron Trump has a right to privacy

During a segment of "The View," Clinton commented on Barron turning 18, and if that makes him "fair game"

Senior Culture Editor

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump (R) stands with his wife Melania Trump (2L) their son Barron Trump (C) and father-in-law Viktor Knavs, at the start of a funeral for Amalija Knavs, the former first lady's mother, outside the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 18, 2024. (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump (R) stands with his wife Melania Trump (2L) their son Barron Trump (C) and father-in-law Viktor Knavs, at the start of a funeral for Amalija Knavs, the former first lady's mother, outside the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 18, 2024. (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)

For most of Barron Trump's life, efforts have been made to shield him from the same level of public scrutiny experienced by his parents — Donald and Melania Trump — but after just turning 18, there are already rumblings on social media and elsewhere referring to him as "fair game" in terms of press coverage. And Chelsea Clinton doesn't think that's fair.

Having been pummeled by the media herself while her parents — Bill and Hillary Clinton — were in the White House, Clinton has quite a bit of experience when it comes to vitriol by association. In an appearance on "The View" this week, she came to Barron's defense, advocating for his right to privacy, saying, "I feel so strongly that if you are a private citizen, you have an unimpeachable right to privacy; and I think the media should leave him alone."

In response to host Joy Behar asking, "What about the other ones?" Clinton said that it's different when it comes to Barron's older siblings, who have served in the administration in one capacity or another. 

"They put themselves in the public domain," she said. "It's a totally different conversation."

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By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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