Teens on TikTok are trying to 'save Barron Trump' from the White House and have started a petition with thousands of signatures
- TikTok users are obsessed with "saving" Barron Trump, 14, from the White House.
- The #SaveBarron hashtag page on TikTok has 21.6 million views as of Wednesday morning, and a petition to "free Barron" has reached more than 15,000 signatures.
- The Barron trend is a logical move for the TikTok teens, who are increasingly passionate in their politics during the nationwide racism and police brutality protests sparked by George Floyd's murder.
Barron Trump, 14, has become an icon among his Gen Z cohort, as teens across the country are joining together to try and "save Barron" from his father, President Donald Trump.
The satirical narrative of comedic TikTok videos trending on the app is that Barron does not agree with his father's politics, he's unhappy in the White House, and he must be rescued by his peers, who believe he loves K-pop music and anime.
Support for Barron comes as many believe a leaked Roblox account belongs to him, though there is no evidence that it's his account on the online gaming platform. There's also no evidence that Barron needs "saving" at all.
Many of the videos, shared with the #SaveBarron hashtag, are slideshows of images of Barron with his father and mother, Melania, who has also been the subject of a similar movement.
An anonymous user on Change.org started a petition to "free Barron" last week, reaching more than 15,000 signatures as of Wednesday. The "save barron trump 2020" petition's description reads, "also i heard he likes kpop and anime. name one republican who likes either of those things." While it's unclear whether he's a fan of either, Korean netizens have reportedly been enamored with the teen's height.
The #SaveBarron hashtag page has 21.6 million views as of Wednesday morning. Support for Barron has extended to Twitter, where many users have commented on his appearance as he looked through a car window in one viral image from Trump's 2017 inauguration.
Overall, the "free/save Barron" trend is focused on the concern that the teen is unhappy.
TikTok user @freebarron2020 originated the trend, first posting a video on June 10. The account has 1.9 million likes, and specifies in its bio that the page is a joke.
Images of Barron have also been popular meme fodder for years, including the car window moment from the inauguration motorcade, as well as facial expressions he has made while his father speaks.
The Barron obsession is a logical touchpoint for the TikTok teens, who are passionate in their politics and tend to criticize Donald Trump. Particularly during the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd, kids on TikTok have emerged as important voices in the fight to end racism across the US and the world.
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