A new book claims that Barron Trump alerted his father, President Donald Trump, to the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a panicked phone call, bypassing White House aides. The revelation comes from Regime Change: Inside The Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
Barron's Distressed Call
According to the book, Barron, then 19, was a big fan of Kirk's and called his father in a state of distress after learning about the shooting. The book states: 'Trump's youngest son, Barron, had already called to tell his father that Kirk had been shot. The nineteen-year-old Barron was a big fan of Kirk's and he had phoned in a state of distress. He had been worried about an assassin taking another shot at his father.'
Trump reportedly tried to calm his son, saying: 'Calm down honey, calm down,' while being 'plainly unnerved himself,' according to the book. The president had survived a previous assassination attempt in 2024.
Details of the Shooting
Charlie Kirk, 33, a right-wing influencer, was fatally shot in front of a crowd of 3,000 students at Utah Valley University in September 2025. Tyler James Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. He could face the death penalty if convicted.
The book claims that Trump had previously warned Kirk that his open-air college campus events could make him a target of political violence. Trump reportedly said: 'Man, Charlie. He's such a good guy. He really helped me out in 2024. He got the youth vote.'
Conflicting Accounts
The book's claim that Barron was the first to inform Trump conflicts with other reports suggesting that Vice President JD Vance broke the news to the president in the Oval Office. Some sources indicate that Barron alerted Trump to the shooting, while Vance later confirmed Kirk's death.
Barron, now 20 and studying at New York University's Stern School of Business campus in Washington DC, is known to have a close relationship with his father. He has also been involved in the family's business ventures, including cryptocurrency.
Trump's Crypto Fortune
Barron was listed as a co-founder of cryptocurrency company World Liberty Foundation in 2024, alongside his father and brothers. Trump's election win boosted the company, adding an estimated $1.5 billion to the family fortune, according to Forbes.
New figures reveal that Trump has made over $1 billion in cryptocurrency, including $500 million from his meme coin. He launched his own cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, shortly before his second term began in January 2025. It surged to a market cap of $6.38 billion within 12 hours. This marks a stark contrast from Trump's 2021 stance, when he called Bitcoin 'a scam.' Now he calls himself 'The Crypto President' and promises to build a 'strategic Bitcoin reserve.'
