Barron Trump praised by UK judge for phoning 999 to report attack on friend
Barron Trump Commended by UK Judge for Reporting Attack on Woman
A Russian man, Matvei Rumiantsev, 23, was sentenced to four years in prison after assaulting a woman and using her phone to record the incident, which included Barron Trump’s actions. The attack occurred following a dispute over the woman’s relationship with the former president, whom Rumiantsev had connected with via social media.
During the assault, the victim received a FaceTime call from Barron Trump’s son. The young man, who had been on the phone with the president, turned the camera to capture Rumiantsev kicking the woman while she knelt in tears. Trump immediately dialed 999 and reached the City of London Police, describing the situation as urgent.
“It’s really an emergency. I’m calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up,” Trump said during the call.
The woman testified that Trump’s intervention “helped save my life.” She claimed the violence lasted approximately an hour, and she feared she might not survive. The judge emphasized Rumiantsev’s role, calling him a “trained fighter” prone to jealousy and anger.
Trump’s account of the incident, though not presented as a witness in court, was pivotal to the case. His 999 call, made shortly before his father’s inauguration, included a candid exchange with the operator. When asked how he knew the victim, Trump responded: “I don’t think these details matter, she’s getting beat up but OK fine, also I met her on social media, I don’t think that matters.”
Rumiantsev was criticized for his lack of awareness, with the judge stating, “Your insight and empathy were clearly absent. You keep blaming the complainant for the situation, even as she faced harm.”
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In a later email to investigators, Trump mentioned his brief observation of the attack: “What I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent.” He noted the time zone difference as a factor, explaining that the victim had not answered the call, which disappointed him.
The transcript of the 999 call, along with the email correspondence, underscores Trump’s role in alerting authorities to the assault. Despite his initial reluctance to testify, his actions were deemed crucial in prompting the police response.