Barron Trump’s Video Call Sparks London Assault Trial

Barron Trump, the youngest son of U.S. President Donald Trump, has unexpectedly found himself at the center of a high-profile criminal trial in London after his swift action helped alert authorities to an alleged violent assault. The 19-year-old, who is currently a sophomore at New York University’s Stern School of Business and living at the White House, witnessed what he described as a brutal attack on a female friend during a FaceTime video call on January 18, 2025—just days before his father’s second inauguration, according to multiple reports including AFP, Metro, and the Washington Examiner.

The alleged assault, which occurred in Greater London, is now the subject of an ongoing trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. The defendant, 22-year-old Matvei Rumiantsev, faces charges of assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation, and perverting the course of justice by allegedly pressuring the woman to withdraw her complaints. Rumiantsev, a Russian citizen residing in London, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

According to court testimony and transcripts released by the Crown Prosecution Service, Barron Trump immediately called police in London from the United States after witnessing the attack via video. He told the City of London Police operator, “Oh I’m calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up. This was happening about eight minutes ago. I just figured out how to, how to call someone. Uh, uh it’s really an emergency.” Trump described himself as being “very close” to the alleged victim, whom he said he met on social media. When pressed by the operator about his relationship to the woman, he responded, “I don’t think these details matter, she’s getting hurt.”

During the emergency call, Trump initially appeared frustrated by the operator’s questions about how he knew the alleged victim, at one point saying, “I mean these details don’t matter, she’s getting beat up.” The operator admonished him, stating, “Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions. If you want to help the person, you’ll answer my questions clearly and precisely.” Trump eventually clarified, “OK fine, also I met her on social media, I don’t think that matters.” He later apologized, saying, “Sorry for being rude.”

The details of what Trump saw during the video call were further elaborated in an email he sent to London police on May 2, 2025, which was read aloud in court. In the email, Trump wrote, “I didn’t expect her to pick up due to the time difference. The phone was picked up. The individual who answered was a shirtless man with darkish hair. This view lasted maybe one second… then the view flipped to the victim.” He added, “As per evidence, I do not have any. I was told by the victim who I am very close with that this individual was giving her difficulty for a long time.”

Trump also revealed that he had asked two of his friends in the United States to call the Metropolitan Police in the UK after witnessing the incident, hoping to ensure a swift response. “I made two of my friends call the Met Police in the UK, even though they are in the US,” he wrote in his email.

The alleged victim, whose identity is being protected for legal reasons, later told the court that Barron Trump’s intervention “helped save my life,” according to Metro. The case has attracted significant attention due to Trump’s involvement and the international dimension of the emergency call, which crossed both time zones and national borders.

Prosecutors allege that Rumiantsev, who was reportedly the woman’s ex-boyfriend, was jealous of her friendship with Barron Trump. This jealousy, jurors heard, was a source of tension in their relationship. On November 3, 2024, months before the alleged assault, the woman had called police alleging that Rumiantsev broke her air fryer and was controlling of her friendships, including with Trump. Body-worn camera footage from a responding officer captured her saying Rumiantsev was “controlling of who I can be friends with.”

On the witness stand, Rumiantsev acknowledged being upset about the woman’s communication with Trump. He told the court, “I tried to explain to her that I felt upset by her talking to Barron Trump.” He admitted that during an argument, the woman was texting Trump, and after the row, he sent her a message that could be translated as, “You started calling him sweetheart, I felt so unwell.” However, he denied being in a controlling relationship, stating, “I was never controlling.”

Throughout the trial, the prosecution has leaned heavily on the timeline established by Trump’s call and subsequent email correspondence. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Trump’s involvement was “very brief indeed but indeed prevalent,” as he described in his email. While Trump was not physically present in London, his digital witness and prompt alert to police became a key piece of evidence in the case.

Rumiantsev, appearing in court in a blue suit and white shirt, continues to deny all charges, including the most serious allegations of rape and intentional strangulation. The trial remains ongoing as of January 23, 2026, with further testimony expected from both prosecution and defense witnesses.

The incident has also placed a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technology in emergency situations. Trump’s ability to witness an alleged crime in real time from thousands of miles away, and to coordinate an international emergency response, underscores both the global reach of modern communication and the complexities it introduces for law enforcement and the courts.

As the trial proceeds, the testimony of Barron Trump—a figure more accustomed to the glare of political than legal scrutiny—remains an unusual and compelling element in a case that has already drawn international headlines. The outcome, and the role played by a transatlantic video call, may well set a precedent for how digital witnesses are treated in future criminal proceedings.

Whatever the verdict, the events of that January night have left a lasting mark on all involved, and the story continues to unfold in the courtroom.