Unusual rule could mean Barron Trump is exempt from US army conscription

One particular rule could see Barron Trump exempted from military service.

The hashtag '#SendBarron' has been circulating on social media recently as Donald Trump's war in Iran continues as many people call for Barron to be drafted and sent to fight in the war.

As the US and Israeli war with Iran continues the question of whether Trump will introduce a draft as hovered in many people's minds, though there in't anything at present which suggests that the US will need to have a draft.

However there is still the 'Selective Service System' in the US, which means that even though there is no active conscription men must register with it when they turn 18, with the idea being that if a draft were started then there would already be a list of eligible young men.

Previously, people eligible for the draft would have to register voluntarily, but recently the Trump administration introduced an automatic registration.

But despite the widespread calls on social media for Barron Trump to be drafted, one rule could mean that the president's son is exempt.

Barron's height could shield him from conscription. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

This is restrictions around height, with the height restrictions for the US military reportedly having a minimum height. However, it's actually the rules for maximum height which affect Barron.

That's because the maximum height restriction is 6ft 8 inches, and Barron is a whopping 6ft 9 inches tall.

This seems to be in place for roles that involved being in confined spaces like tanks or armoured vehicles or for the Airforce, presumably so pilots aren’t whacking their heads when they sit in the jets.

So, Barron could potentially be exempt from conscription because of the medical reason of his height, rather than because he’s the president’s son.

But that doesn’t stop the noise on social media, as X users write: “Why not demonstrate that Trump family spirit of patriotism and sacrifice by sending Barron to fight Iran?”

Another wrote: “#SendBarron. Would certainly send a message of solidarity with our troops, and gratitude for the sacrifices they make every day,” a third suggested.

The youngest son could be exempt. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Of course Barron is not the only member of the Trump family who has not had to worry about being drafted.

His father Donald was able to avoid the draft on no fewer than five separate occasions, with this being during the Vietnam War when many young men were drafted to go and fight, and many of those not coming back, or coming back with life-changing injuries or mental health conditions.

For Trump, it was a diagnosis he received shortly after he graduated from college, and no it wasn't his height as Trump is 6ft 3, which is still tall but falls short of the 6ft 8 inch limitation.

In this case it was a condition called 'bone spurs', caused by calcium buildup in the heel bones, and which made Trump unfit to serve in the military.

Prior to that Trump had been able to defer the draft during the course of his college education, something which many young men at college were able to do.