Melania Trump issues warning of serious 'consequences’ to those responsible for leaked Barron photo

A leaked photo of Barron Trump is said to have angered Melania Trump, with the first lady believed to be considering legal action against those responsible for passing on the image.

Members of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago golf club are said to have taken a picture of Barron without permission, an image that has since circulated online.

The photo is believed to have been taken around the festive period at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, with Barron - the only son of Melania and the president - said to have been snapped walking behind his father, the POTUS, through a dining area.

A source told journalist Rob Shuter that Trump's teenage son was 'solemnly following his father through the dining room'.

"He was quiet, very reserved, wearing his usual blue suit, almost mirroring Donald. He didn’t smile or interact much."

Many are said to have taken a photo of Barron without consent (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Melania's reaction to the photo leak of Barron

The source close to Shuter added: "Melania made it very clear that Barron’s privacy is non-negotiable, anyone caught filming or taking pictures would face immediate consequences, including potential banning from the club."

Meanwhile, another source added: "The message was clear: no cameras, no leaks. Private family moments stay private."

While he keeps a somewhat low profile, Barron recently began his sophomore year at New York University, with the New York Times reporting that the 19-year-old had relocated to the university's Washington, D.C., campus, less than 2 miles from the White House.

It comes after the First Lady was mentioned at the Oscars on Sunday (March 15) as Jimmy Kimmel took aim at the Trump administration.

Barron's privacy is 'non-negotiable', according to the First Lady (Saul Loeb - Pool/Getty Images)

"Fortunately, for all of us, there is an international community of filmmakers dedicated to telling the truth, oftentimes at great risk, to make films that teach us, that call out injustice, that inspire us to take action," the talk show host said.

"And there are also documentaries where you walk around the White House trying on shoes."

While Kimmel did not directly mention the president, he went on to joke: "Oh man, is he going to be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this."

That was, of course, a reference to the Amazon documentary title Melania, which was released on the popular streaming platform earlier this year.

The documentary followed Melania in the weeks running up to her return to the White House after Trump won the 2024 presidential campaign.

It's been reported that the First Lady was paid an eye-watering $40 million by Amazon for the exclusive behind-the-scenes access, though she has insisted money was not the driving factor behind the project.

"I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may not like it, and that’s their choice," she previously told CNN. "We achieved what we want to achieve.

"For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did."

Fact check: Barron Trump 'buying' $30 million of oil before the US-Iran conflict

The unfounded claim about Barron 'purchasing oil' before the US-Iran conflict went viral on social media (ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images)

The viral claim first appeared on X on March 3, alleging that Barron had 'bought $30 million of OIL just 2 days before the war started'. A follow-up tweet on March 8 seemingly reiterated this, but also claimed he had 'made $20 million in profit'.

However, there is no proof to support this claim, as Snopes also noted that the tweet did not include any reputable sources or evidence of said purchase or profit.

"If the son of a sitting U.S. president had made such a move, major news media outlets would have reported it," they add.

The website further states that the account itself lacked credibility, with its bio linking to a Telegram channel used for cryptocurrency promotion.