Melania Trump criticises TV host for Father's Day tweet about Barron

‘As with every other administration, a minor child should be off-limits’, said first lady’s spokeswoman

Melania Trump has condemned a TV host for making a joke about the parentage of son Barron on Father’s Day.

Food Network host John Henson wrote on Sunday that he hoped “Barron gets to spend today with whoever his dad is”.

That post, which was soon condemned online, was labelled as “inappropriate and insensitive” on Tuesday as Ms Trump’s spokeswoman issued a statement.

“Sadly we continue to see inappropriate and insensitive comments about the President’s son [Barron Trump],” said Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s spokeswoman and a former White House press secretary.

The comedian and TV host, who has criticised president Trump on Twitter in the past, made those comments on Sunday as the US president’s other children wished him a happy Father’s Day online.

Mr Henson, who faces Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship, ABC’s Wipeout, and E!’s Talk Soup, later wrote on Twitter that his statement did not joke about 14-year-old Barron Trump.

“With respect, I think you dissecting it is the issue”, said the TV host. “The joke was aimed at Trump and the mere mention of Barron’s name doesn’t mean it’s at his expense”.

Despite that, Ms Trump’s statement warned that minors “should be off limits”.

“As with every other administration, a minor child should be off-limits and allowed to grow up with no judgment or hate from strangers and the media.”

Food Network has not commented on the matter.

Ms Trump has criticised others who have used her son’s name in public, such as Stanford Law professor Pamela Karlan.

Ms Karlan had told Congress in December that “The Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron”.

“A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics,” wrote Ms Trump. “Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.”

The professor later apologised for the comments.