- The Washington Times - Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The White House issued a plea Tuesday for the public and the media to respect the privacy of President Trump’s children, after some cruel comments on social media about his 10-year-old son Barron.

“It is a longstanding tradition that the children of presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight,” the White House press office said in a statement. “The White House fully expects this tradition to continue. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.”

Katie Rich, a writer for “Saturday Night Live,” was suspended from her job this week after she posted a mocking comment about Barron Trump on her personal Twitter account. She later deleted the post and deactivated her account before issuing an apology.

Others, including comedian Rosie O’Donnell, have made caustic comments about the boy on social media.

The media typically has an unwritten rule with presidents that their children are off-limits for coverage, unless a president includes his children at a White House event, such as the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey.

• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.

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