Mary Trump Recalls Playing Sports With Uncle Donald as a Kid

The president's niece describes feeling sidelined as the youngest and only girl in the family.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:41pm

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In a conversation with journalist April Ryan, Mary Trump, the president's niece, offered a glimpse into her childhood and family dynamics, describing moments when she played sports with her uncles during visits to her grandparents' home. Mary Trump said she often felt sidelined as the youngest child in the family and the only girl among her cousins and siblings, but would still try to join in when her uncles, including Donald Trump, were around.

Why it matters

Mary Trump has spoken publicly about her childhood interactions with Donald Trump and has previously said that the president's behavior and personality were evident early in life. The story Mary Trump shared during the interview with Ryan reflects her broader claims about the Trump family environment.

The details

Mary Trump said that whenever Donald Trump and her uncle Rob would visit her grandparents' house on weekends, they would play soccer or throw a baseball in the backyard. She said that despite being 20 years older and her being just 5 years old, Donald would still throw the ball as hard as he could. Mary Trump is a psychologist and author who previously spoke about her upbringing in the Trump family, and in 2020 published a book, 'Too Much and Never Enough,' based on her experiences.

  • Mary Trump shared the anecdote during an interview with journalist April Ryan.

The players

Mary Trump

The president's niece, a psychologist and author who has spoken publicly about her upbringing in the Trump family.

Donald Trump

The president, who is Mary Trump's uncle and was 20 years older than her.

Rob Trump

Mary Trump's uncle, who would visit her grandparents' house on weekends with Donald Trump.

April Ryan

A journalist who interviewed Mary Trump.

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What they’re saying

“I tried to hang with my brother and my cousin and my uncles, but one, I was the youngest, and two, I was a girl, so they didn't really want me around, but I would try.”

— Mary Trump

“Whenever Donald was at my grandparents' house, because we spent most of our weekends there, and whenever he and my uncle Rob came in from the city, we'd play either soccer or throw baseball in the backyard. So yes, I would play ball with them.”

— Mary Trump

“But Donald, despite the fact that he was 20 years older than I was and I was five, would still throw the ball as hard as he possibly could.”

— Mary Trump

The takeaway

Mary Trump's anecdote about playing sports with her uncle Donald as a child provides further insight into the family dynamics and her uncle's competitive nature, which she has previously described as evident from an early age.