Latest Target Of Mean Tweeting: Donald Trump's 10-Year-Old Son

(CBS) – Barron Trump is President Donald Trump's youngest child, but he has also been the target of a mean tweet that has caused quite the firestorm.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports on the tweet and the fallout.

"The tweet was both mean and tone-deaf," says author Carrie Goldman, who wrote a book about bullying.

She's talking about a tweet by "Saturday Night Live" writer Katie Rich that said: "Barron will be this country's first home-school shooter."

"To say that an innocent 10-year-old boy is going to be a shooter -- it just crosses the line in so many ways," Goldman says.

The social-media posting prompted tens of thousands to call for Rich to be fired. She was suspended indefinitely and later tweeted an apology.

"People don't have the same filter that they would have if they were speaking face-to-face," Goldman says.

Of course, people saying mean things about the children of presidents is nothing new.

Both Sasha and Malia Obama found themselves targets of ugly remarks, as did Chelsea Clinton.

But Goldman says with social media the ugly messages are carried much faster and farther than ever before.

"These days, it can reach thousands and millions of people within seconds because it's re-tweeted or sent around," she says.

Chelsea Clinton took to Facebook to defend Barron, saying in part, "Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does -- to be a kid."

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.