The New York University (NYU) chapter president of the College Republicans of America (CRA) has resigned after describing President Donald Trump’s son Barron, a student at the university, as “sort of like an oddity on campus” in an interview with Vanity Fair.
Kaya Walker resigned on Sunday and this was announced by the CRA in an X post on Monday, which described her comments as “inappropriate.”
Newsweek contacted Walker, via the New York University CRA chapter, and the CRA for comment on Tuesday by email and online inquiry form outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Barron Trump, Trump’s youngest son and only child with first lady Melania Trump, began studying business at New York University’s Stern School of Business in September 2024.
Walker’s swift resignation, and the CRA’s condemnation of her remarks, shows the reverence the wider Trump family is held in by much of the American conservative movement.
What To Know
Walker spoke to Vanity Fair for a feature the publication wrote about Barron’s education at NYU in which she said: “He’s sort of like an oddity on campus. He goes to class, he goes home.”
The remarks raised the ire of the national CRA leadership, and on Monday the group posted a statement on X, formerly Twitter, announcing Walker’s resignation and formally inviting Barron to “join us in reshaping the Republican Party.”
Referring to the Vanity Fair story, parts of which were repeated by The Independent, the CRA said: “We have been made aware of a statement by the NYU chapter President that does not align with the values and principles upheld by our organization.
“Though Vanity Fair and The Independent unfairly framed what was said, upon review, we still found it to be inappropriate. The NYU chapter President submitted her resignation last night.”
The CRA said it was “collaborating closely with the NYU chapter to ensure a smooth transition in leadership” and noted they “broke with 100 years of precedent when we endorsed President Trump, being the first national College Republican organization to endorse a candidate before the beginning of the primary season.
During the Vanity Fair interview, Walker also claimed that a professor at NYU joked that Barron “doesn’t really belong here.”
In December, People.com published an article about Barron’s time at NYU, claiming he was “popular with the ladies.”
A source commented: “He’s tall and handsome. A lot of people seem to think he’s pretty attractive—yes, even liberal people like him.”
ANGELA WEISS/AFP/GETTY
What People Are Saying
CRA President Will Donahue said: “Barron Trump represents the future of the conservative movement, and we would be honored to have him join College Republicans of America.
“Strong leadership is built on resilience, courage, and the humility to rise above petty hostility—qualities that Barron had already demonstrated. We invite Barron to join us in shaping the future of our party.”
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Justin Waller, a steel entrepreneur and conservative leaning influencer, described Bannon as “the kind of guy that can start a business that can go public, but he also can sit down and drink a beer with the individual that’s running his manufacturing facility.”
What Happens Next
In an interview with Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Trump said his son Barron advised him on podcast appearances prior to the 2024 presidential election, including shows he’d “never even heard of.”
It is unclear whether 18-year-old Barron harbors political ambitions of his own, but if he does he will have a led-up as part of by far the most powerful Republican family in America. In early February, betting company Star Sports had Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, as one of the most likely Republican candidates for the 2028 presidential election.
