Kaya Walker, the president of New York University’s (NYU) College Republicans, has resigned following controversy over her remarks about Barron Trump, the youngest son of former President Donald Trump. In a recent Vanity Fair interview, Walker referred to Barron, an 18-year-old freshman at NYU’s Stern School of Business, as “sort of like an oddity on campus,” noting that “He goes to class, he goes home.” These comments were perceived by some as inappropriate and led to significant backlash.
The national College Republicans of America (CRA) responded by stating that Walker’s comments did not align with the organization’s values and principles. They advised her to resign to protect both her reputation and the organization’s integrity. Walker submitted her resignation on Sunday, expressing regret over the situation. She clarified that her remarks were intended to highlight the undue attention and “parasocial relationships” formed around celebrity figures on campus, drawing parallels to the experiences of other public figures who have attended NYU.
In her resignation letter to John Parker, chair of the New York State Federation of College Republicans, Walker condemned the Vanity Fair article as a “malicious misreading” of her words. She emphasized that her intention was to critique the culture of celebrity obsession rather than to insult Barron Trump.
Will Donahue, president of the CRA, stated that while the organization believed Vanity Fair may have taken Walker’s words out of context, they still found the comments inappropriate. He noted that it is CRA policy for members to seek approval before speaking to left-wing media sources and suggested that Walker’s choice of words was poor, leading to the media backlash.
In the wake of the controversy, the CRA extended an invitation to Barron Trump to join their organization, praising him as “an impressive young man with tremendous potential” and expressing enthusiasm about the prospect of him taking on a leadership role within the group.
This incident has sparked discussions about the challenges conservative students face at predominantly liberal institutions like NYU. Walker expressed that being a Republican at NYU is “an uphill battle,” highlighting the difficulties in navigating political discourse on campus.
The situation also underscores the potential for misinterpretation in media representations and the rapid spread of information on social platforms. Walker’s initial statement gained significant traction after being shared on social media, leading to widespread coverage by national news outlets.
As of now, Barron Trump has not publicly responded to the incident or indicated any intention to join the College Republicans. He continues his studies at NYU, maintaining a low profile despite the media attention surrounding his presence on campus.
