Donald Trump 'Forgot' to Thank This Child of His During Victory Speech After SC Primary Win

In a triumphant moment for former President Donald Trump, he emerged victorious in the South Carolina primary, clinching the spot of the Republican frontrunner for the presidential nomination. However, amidst the celebratory atmosphere, Trump inadvertently forgot to mention one of his children during his victory speech, despite them standing beside him on stage.

"First of all, my family, Melania, Barron, Don Jr. and Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared, Tiffany and Michael, they are so so supportive. So supportive of me, and we really appreciate it and love them. We have a great family," Trump stated, as per Yahoo! However, he failed to acknowledge their second son, Eric Trump, and his wife, Lara, who was onstage to his right. Eric, 40, serves as the Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization, which is the parent firm of a number of Trump's interests and business endeavors. 

Many of his critics were quick to call attention to the social media gaffe, suggesting that it was yet another sign of his deteriorating memory and cognitive ability. For instance, Democrat Jesse Ferguson posted on X, "Trump was reading off note cards and still forgot one of his kids."

In recent months, Trump's cognitive abilities have been called into doubt due to a number of gaffes on the campaign trail. These include mistaking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for his opponent, Nikki Haley, and repeatedly confusing former President Barack Obama with current POTUS Joe Biden. "Reading a list of his family's names... and forgetting Eric. I guess Tiffany has been promoted from least forgettable Trump,"  the conservative anti-Trump organization The Lincoln Project stated, as per Business Insider.

As per ABC News, Haley has also intensified her criticism of Trump's age in recent months, stating, “I have long talked about the fact that we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. Donald Trump claims that he would pass that — maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t. But if you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don’t deserve a driver’s license, let alone being President of the United States.” Haley continued her criticism of the former president on X, saying, “Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about.”

But her tactic did not work against Trump; on Saturday, she lost to him in her home state, which has essentially cleared the path, by most metrics, for him to win the Republican nomination. During his first two presidential campaigns, Trump's three oldest children were heavily involved, serving as surrogates for their father and frequently making appearances on the campaign trail. 

Ivanka Trump, Trump's eldest daughter, was out of politics when Trump announced his third campaign. She stated back in 2022 that she was 'the happiest' she had ever been. She added, "This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics. While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena."