Barron Trump Is Facing Ridicule After His Father Launched Strikes on Iran

Following Donald Trump's announcement on June 21 that the United States had attacked Iran, social media was abuzz with serious commentary about the attacks, and also with the kind of morbid jokes that people often make when they feel like the world might be ending. Among the things that people pointed out about the attack, one of the more relevant tidbits was the way Trump seemed to be glorifying the military and all those who serve.

Some thought this glorification was ironic given the fact that Trump himself had been diagnosed with bone spurs, a move many saw as an attempt to dodge service in the Vietnam War. Now, jokes about that same topic have come for Trump's youngest son, Barron.

There has been no solid reporting to suggest that Barron actually has bone spurs. Instead, what seems to be happening is that users are joking that Barron Trump, Trump's youngest son and a man who would be eligible for military service, has been diagnosed with bone spurs.

The joke stems from the belief that Trump has gotten the U.S. involved in another war abroad, and further suggests that although the war might require some troops, it seems unlikely that Trump would allow his children to serve.

"Hey Donny Bone Spurs — Let's get Barron Trump down to the recruiters' office on Monday. Tell him war is just like a video game and he'll have a blast," one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Barron Trump is 19 years old. Will he be enlisting in the military or claiming he inherited daddy’s bone spurs?" another person added.

Clearly, then, these users are not suggesting that Barron actually has bone spurs, but that he might be diagnosed with them in order to avoid serving, the same way his father once did.

It's worth noting, though, that there has been no indication from Trump or anyone in his administration that the attacks on Iran will result in a draft, which is what happened during the Vietnam War.

Barron would have to volunteer to serve if he wanted to fight in this conflict or any future battles that his father might instigate. He doesn't need a bone spur diagnosis to avoid service unless the government decides to institute a draft, which has not been done in more than 50 years. Warfare has changed in the years since, and the same number of troops is rarely needed for more modern conflicts.

The broader point, though, stands. Donald Trump has decided to involve the United States in a new foreign entanglement, in part because he seems to hold the questionable belief that Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Now, American service members are in danger of being swept up in a counterattack.

What these posts are suggesting is that Trump's family should understand the cost of the attack he just undertook. For some, the value of those strikes might be worth it, but for others, the personal cost of losing someone you love could be enormous.