Baron Trump Autism Rumor, will it soften Trump’s hatred of the disabled?

First Lady Melania Trump’s son, Barron Trump, 13, has been sparking unfounded speculations that he “falls on the autism spectrum”.

In an article for the Santa Monica Observer, journalist Samuel Alioto described the currently 13-year-old son of US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump as “fidgety and socially awkward”, reported the International Business Times.

While acknowledging there’s been no proof to support that Barron Trump has any sort of health condition, the reporter is cited as saying that “evidence is mounting”, pointing to specific mannerisms, observing how Barron refuses to speak or shake hands, and emphasising the US president’s parental age – 60.

“It’s all over social media”, according to the journalist.

In an incident dating to 2016, actress Rossie O’Donnell had wondered if Barron Trump was autistic, as she shared a video posted by YouTube user James Hunter that featured footage of 10-year-old Barron “clapping erratically” at his father’s acceptance speech and campaign events.

“Barron Trump Autistic? if so – what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic”, she wrote in a tweet with a link to the video.

The controversial tweet, however, sparked the ire of Melania Trump.

The First Lady, who tries to shield Barron from the media spotlight, accused the actress of bullying her then 10-year-old son and threatened to sue O’Donnell, who by then had deleted her tweet.

The actress issued an apology, explaining her personal observations and the subsequent tweet had come after her own daughter was diagnosed with autism.

“I apologize to Melania Trump – I was insensitive in my RT – I am sorry for the pain I caused – it was not my intent – I am truly sorry”, O’Donnell tweeted.

​James Hunter, who later deleted the YouTube video he had posted, issued an apology, saying he himself was on the autism spectrum, and therefore made the clip in a bid to end the online bullying he was witnessing across social media.

“As someone who was diagnosed at age 5 and has gone through bullying myself, I would NEVER do something like that”, Hunter wrote in an update within the video’s description box.

“I made this because I truly believed Barron was on the spectrum, and I wanted people to stop bullying him over his ‘weird’ behavior and explain to them that it might actually be due to a condition”.

Speculations regarding Barron Trump along these lines started during Donald Trump’s election campaign.

Later, President Trump shared his thoughts regarding the connection between vaccines and autism, feeding rumours that he was talking about his own son at that time.

“Autism has become an epidemic. Twenty-five years ago, 35 years ago, you look at the statistics, not even close. It has gotten totally out of control. I am totally in favor of vaccines. But I want smaller doses over a longer period of time”, said Trump said during a CNN Republican debate in 2015.

From the IB Times:

In an article he penned for the Santa Monica Observer, journalist Samuel Alioto described the 13-year-old as fidgety and socially awkward. He also observed how Barron refuses to speak or shake hands. This, according to Alioto, are obvious signs that the FLOTUS’ son may be autistic.

Studies have also shown that children who are born to much older parents are more likely to fall on the autism spectrum. The POTUS was already 60 years old when his youngest child was born.

In the past, President Trump has also shared his thoughts regarding the connection between vaccines and autism. Rumors swirled that the president was talking about his own son at that time.

“Autism has become an epidemic. Twenty-five years ago, 35 years ago, you look at the statistics, not even close. It has gotten totally out of control. I am totally in favor of vaccines. But I want smaller doses over a longer period of time,” he said.

Actress Rossie O’Donnell previously wondered if Barron is autistic. On Twitter, she said that the teenager’s diagnosis could bring attention to the autism epidemic.

When the FLOTUS saw O’Donnell’s controversial tweet, the first lady accused the actress of bullying her then 10-year-old son. She then threatened to sue O’Donnell.

and the Santa Monica Observer

“He’s fidgety, socially awkward, doesn’t speak or shake hands, wobbles when he walks and engages in repetitive behaviors. Evidence is mounting that Barron Trump is autistic.

Barron might be bullied by other boys for his autism, which is why the new First Lady wants to focus on bullying, especially on social media, as her cause. To avoid putting him in the limelight, Melania Trump will continue to live in Trump Tower with Barron until June 2017, and appears to dedicate all of her time to him. If Barron has special needs, it explains Melania’s otherwise baffling decision not to live in the White House as First Lady.

The fact that his father was 60 when he was born, is considered a marker for Autism–there is a connection between autism and paternal age. Barron’s father Donald Trump has tweeted about the alleged connection between vaccines and autism. Trump argued about the alleged vaccine connection with Dr. Ben Carson. During a primary debate, he said:

“Autism has become an epidemic. Twenty-five years ago, 35 years ago, you look at the statistics, not even close. It has gotten totally out of control,” Trump said. “I am totally in favor of vaccines. But I want smaller doses over a longer period of time. Same exact amount, but you take this little beautiful baby, and you pump-I mean, it looks just like it’s meant for a horse, not for a child, and we’ve had so many instances, people that work for me.”

He added: “Just the other day, 2 years old, 2 and a half years old, a child, a beautiful child went to have the vaccine, and came back, and a week later got a tremendous fever, got very, very sick, now is autistic.” Trump did not elaborate on whose child he was talking about.

The theory is that he was speaking of his own son, Barron. It’s all over social media. Otherwise, why did Trump even bring it up at a debate?

His parents choices have thrust Barron into the public spotlight, so now the issue must be addressed by his parents. If the story is verified, it would mean that Donald Trump did not tell the public a personal fact about his son that would have engendered public sympathy for him. He put his family’s privacy above political gain, which is certainly laudable. But now that there’s active speculation about Barron, it’s time to come forward.