Melania Trump Will 'Keep Her Hand on Barron's Future' After He Graduates: 'He Is Her World' (Exclusive Source)

The 18-year-old is set to graduate from high school in Florida on Friday, May 17

Melania Trump will stay involved in Barron Trump’s life as he transitions into adulthood, according to an exclusive source.

The former first lady, 54, is preparing to celebrate her only child's graduation from Oxbridge Academy, but that doesn’t mean she’s letting the 18-year-old out of her sight anytime soon.

“Melania will keep her hand on Barron’s future just as much going forward as she has throughout his early and current school years,” a social source tells PEOPLE. “He is her world. She is proud of him, and she is the primary decision maker on Barron and his future."

Related: Melania Trump Will Always Choose Son Barron over Politics: 'She Dislikes a Petting Zoo' (Exclusive)

Barron’s graduation ceremony for the West Palm Beach, Fla., private school is scheduled for Friday, May 17. With just one day to go, the insider says his mother finds it more important than ever to make sure she’s there to guide him.

“He is still young and has a lot in front of him,” says the source. “She wants him to be happy and settled in his future endeavors. She wants him to pursue what he wants to do. He is smart and has his own opinions but they are still being shaped.”

Related: Donald Trump Says He Needs to Pause His Criminal Trial So He Can Attend Son Barron's High School Graduation

Barron's father, Donald Trump, recently made an appearance on Kayal and Company on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT where he opened up on his son’s interests, revealing that the teen "does like politics" despite staying in the shadows of his family's political endeavors.

"It's sort of funny. He'll tell me sometimes, 'Dad, this is what you have to do,'" the 77-year-old former president said during the May 10 radio interview.

"He's a little on the tall side, I will tell you, he's a tall one, but he is a good-looking guy," Donald added of his 6-foot-7-inch son. "And he’s really been a great student."

According to The Apprentice alum, Barron will be "going to college" following his high school graduation.

Related: Donald Trump Is Headlining a GOP Event in Minnesota on the Same Day as Barron's Florida Graduation: Reports

Last week, the 18-year-old was chosen as an at-large delegate to represent Florida at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.  But shortly after the news broke, Melania announced that he would turn down the offer.

“While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments,” the former first lady's office said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

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In March 2023, a source told PEOPLE that Melania has always been “very protective” of her only child.

"Melania's friends are her family members," the Palm Beach source told PEOPLE at the time. "She is a doting mother to Barron and very protective of him. This is nothing new."

"Barron has always been a first priority in [Melania's] life," the source added. "Of course she is worried and concerned about [Donald's] legal issues but she has not done anything more to protect Barron now than she ever did. She has always put him first. She is a good mother."

Related: Melania Trump Remains 'Angry' at Donald over Stormy Daniels Drama, Is Focused on Her Son and Herself: Sources

Barron's future planning comes as his father is running a third presidential campaign and spending four days a week in a Manhattan criminal court.

The former president is being tried on 34 felony counts over an alleged scheme to hide hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. Daniels claims that she had an affair with Donald shortly after Barron was born, which the former president continues to deny.

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