First lady Melania Trump responded to Stanford Law School Professor Pamela Karlan, an impeachment witness for House Democrats, after Karlan took a swipe at her 13-year-old son, Barron Trump, on Wednesday during Democrats’ impeachment inquiry on the House Judiciary Committee.
Melania Trump tweeted: “A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.”
President Donald Trump retweeted Melania Trump’s tweet a short time after she published it.
A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 4, 2019
Melania Trump’s comments came in response to Karlan’s attempt at trying to crack a joke at Barron Trump’s expense during the hearing.
While talking about the differences between kings and presidents, Karlan said, “So while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron.”
Democrat "witness" Pamela Karlan is completely UNHINGED.
She is now attacking @realDonaldTrump's 13 year old son Barron Trump in an attempt to smear President Trump.#StopTheMadness #JerryRigged pic.twitter.com/4aktNR2Tps
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 4, 2019
Donald Trump Jr. responded to Karlan taking a swipe at his brother by writing on Twitter: “Remember only children of Liberals (even the 50 year old children) are off limits. That a 13 year old is fair game for partisan hacks on a national platform shows you all you need to know about the new left and who is now running the ship.”
Remember only children of Liberals (even the 50 year old children) are off limits. That a 13 year old is fair game for partisan hacks on a national platform shows you all you need to know about the new left and who is now running the ship. https://t.co/DQZNh4hLTf
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 4, 2019
Trump Jr. added: “I guess this explains why this partisan ‘scholar’ it would go on national TV and try to make a joke out of a 13-year-old child. Obviously no bias here GTFO with this nonsense already.”
I guess this explains why this partisan “scholar” it would go on national TV and try to make a joke out of a 13-year-old child. Obviously no bias here🙄 GTFO with this nonsense already. pic.twitter.com/3QdN1nju4h
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 4, 2019
Fox News anchor Bret Baier commented on Melania Trump’s tweet, writing: “When the First Lady is on Twitter responding to a Democrat witness referencing her son – Baron – in order to zing her husband — it’s not the best moment for said witness.”
When the First Lady is on Twitter responding to a Democrat witness referencing her son – Baron – in order to zing her husband — it’s not the best moment for said witness. https://t.co/O1N4rw03AY
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) December 4, 2019
Members of Congress also weighed in on Karlan’s swipe at President Donald Trump’s youngest child.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) wrote: “Prof. Karlan was out of bounds, and owes the Trump family an apology. I hope my Democratic colleagues will join me in demanding she do so.”
Prof. Karlan was out of bounds, and owes the Trump family an apology. I hope my Democratic colleagues will join me in demanding she do so. https://t.co/L8kyCDck73
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) December 4, 2019
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) tweeted out a video from the hearing where he slammed Karlan, telling her, “You don’t get to interrupt me on this time. Now let me also suggest, that when you invoke the president’s son’s name here, when you try to make a little joke out of referencing Barron Trump, that does not lend credibility to your argument it makes you look mean, it makes you look like you’re attacking someone’s family, the minor child of the president of the United States.”
https://t.co/358bU5ofm6 pic.twitter.com/338RBiXlUD
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) December 4, 2019
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) wrote on Twitter: “Invoking the name of the President’s 13 year old son to make a joke. Reprehensible.”
Invoking the name of the President's 13 year old son to make a joke. Reprehensible. pic.twitter.com/cLuW31NQRT
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) December 4, 2019
The Trump campaign also released a statement condemning Democrats’ impeachment witnesses going after Barron Trump.
“Only in the minds of crazed liberals is it funny to drag a 13-year-old child into the impeachment nonsense,” the campaign said. “Pamela Karlan thought she was being clever and going for laughs, but she instead reinforced for all Americans that Democrats have no boundaries when it comes to their hatred of everything related to President Trump. Hunter Biden is supposedly off-limits according to liberals, but a 13-year-old boy is fair game. Disgusting.”
The campaign concluded, “Every Democrat in Congress should immediately repudiate Pamela Karlan and call on her to personally apologize to the President and the First Lady for mocking their son on national TV.”