Melania and Barron will not follow Donald Trump to the White House in the new year, choosing instead to stay at Trump Tower in New York City. Photo/ AP
Melania and Barron will not follow Donald Trump to the White House in the new year, choosing instead to stay at Trump Tower in New York City. Photo/ AP
With America divided after the election, so too will the first family be split come inauguration day on January 20.
Melania and Barron will not move to the White House in the new year, choosing instead to stay at Trump Tower so the 10-year-old can finish the school year, the New York Post reported.
Melania will travel to Washington, D.C. when necessary, and Donald Trump is expected to spend much of his time as President at his own three-storey penthouse apartment in midtown Manhattan.
Melania has decided to stay put in the interests of her only son. Sources tell the Post: "The campaign has been difficult for Barron, and she is really hoping to keep disruption to a minimum."
Melania, who is sometimes spotted picking up her son from school, told People magazine in the spring that with Trump on the road, she has spent a lot of time with Barron because he "needs somebody as a parent".
The 10-year-old will complete the school year at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side of New York City, where tuition starts at US$44,120 ($62,958) for those enrolling in pre-K.
Famous alumni include actress Sarah Michelle Geller and author Herman Melville. While it is possible they will eventually settle into the White House once the school year is over, no plans have been set for that to happen, the Post reported.
"No formal statement has been released yet, with regards to the family and their transition plans to Washington," Trump transition spokesman Jason Miller told reporters.
"But one thing I will say is there's obviously a sensitivity to pulling their 10-year-old out of school in the middle of the school year."
"And so, I imagine that a more formal statement will be coming in the future and we'll let you guys know when that's available," he said.
Trump was reportedly shocked when he won the election, and moving to the White House may be an adjustment after nearly 30 years of living in Trump Tower.
Their three-storey penthouse apartment, decked in 24-karat gold and marble, was said to be nicer than the White House, according to his ex-wife, Ivana Trump, with whom he has three children Donald Jr, Ivanka, and Eric Trump.
The New York Police Department has been working with the Secret Service to install security measures around the building on Fifth Avenue, which attracted the ire of protesters in the days following the election.
The New York Police Department has been working with the Secret Service to secure Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where Melania and Barron will be staying. Photo / AP
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference last week: "This is a big challenge and an unprecedented challenge - we know that - but we are committed to making it work.
He said the priority is safety and security.
Armed security forces have been posted outside the building, along with barricades, truck diversions, and bag checks for pedestrians for the next two months.
It remains unclear whether the security plan outlined by de Blasio and city officials will change once Trump moves to the White House, but New Yorkers are already disgruntled that Melania and Barron's presence would exacerbate traffic in the city.
With Trump Tower located at one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the Western world, according to Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, traffic has become a major concern.
De Blasio said: "This is a very substantial undertaking. It will take substantial resources. We will begin the conversation with the Federal Government shortly about reimbursement for the NYPD for some of the cost we are incurring."
Businesses along Fifth Avenue, one of the busiest shopping areas in the city, have also suffered after New York City's mayor advised people to steer clear during a time when holiday spending is booming.
Tom Cusick, president of the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, told CBS the security has been a problem. Even garbage trucks have not been allowed through the area, and bags of trash piled up on the sidewalks.
