NEW YORK — Melania Trump has hired a famous lawyer who is threatening a lawsuit over a video that suggests her 10-year-old son, Barron, is autistic, according to TMZ.
According to the letter obtained by TMZ, the YouTube video falsely insinuates Barron is autistic. The letter and other sources familiar with the situation say Barron is not autistic.
The letter also calls out Rosie O’Donnell as a bully. O’Donnell tweeted the video last week, with the caption “Barron Trump Autistic? if so – what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic.”
On Saturday, O’Donnell posted a message defending her tweet, titled “what we see and why.” She used the hashtags #Autism #Focus and #TRUTH.
The video, originally posted by YouTube user James Hunter, is titled “Is Barron Trump Autistic? #StopTheBullying” and shows examples of Barron’s behavior at public events that it claims are signs of autism.
The video shows Barron clapping at the Republican National Convention and points out “his hands are moving erratically and not touching each other.”
Melania Trump’s attorney, Charles J. Harder, said Barron did this once — at the end of a long day at the RNC — but the “vast majority of the time, he claps normally.”
The video shows Barron yawning and grimacing during his father’s victory speech at the RNC and on Election night.
Melania Trumps’s team says both events were late at night, and Barron was exhibiting normal behavior for a 10-year-old.
The video has been viewed more than 3.1 million times since it was posted Nov. 11.
“The video allegedly seeks to ‘stop the bullying’ of Barron Trump. Not true … The video did instigate further bullying by Rosie O’Donnell and others,” the letter from Melania Trump’s team states.
Melania Trump is not threatening to sue O’Donnell, but her attorney wants the person who posted the YouTube clip to delete it and post an apology.