Kathy Griffin Slammed for Joking Barron Trump Sends Her Notes Saying 'Don't Kill My Daddy': 'She's Such a Garbage Human'
Kathy Griffin reportedly startled Barron Trump as a child with an elaborate stunt.
Sept. 10 2026, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Kathy Griffin's latest joke about Barron Trump didn't quite land.
The comedian made fun of the youngest son of President Donald Trump after discovering that he allegedly panicked as a child over Griffin's famous photo of her holding the fake head of his father, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Kathy Griffin Critics Fume Over Mockery of Barron Trump
The comedian reflected on her famous photo wielding a fake, blood-soaked head.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Griffin was asked about the controversial photo, which earned a large amount of public backlash at the time.
While Griffin acknowledged that not everyone believed she actually wanted to kill the president, she chuckled, "Barron does."
She added, "He’ll send me a note once a month just saying, ‘Don’t kill my daddy.’ But, you know Barron, he’s the sensitive one. What can I do?"
Griffin was swiftly called out by critics online.
"She's such a garbage human," one person wrote on Facebook.
Another person added, "Whether you like someone or hate someone it’s never good to wish death on, there’s always Karma."
Griffin was also called a "ghoul" by a separate user on X.
But MAGA supporters weren't the only ones appalled by Griffin's joke.
"First and foremost, I am not a Trump supporter by any means," one social media user wrote. "You were not funny back then, and this isn't funny either."
Melania Trump Disavows 'Disturbing' Photo
Donald Trump suggested Barron was particularly shocked by the picture.
When Griffin originally posted the photo, there was immediate upheaval by Trump supporters, but also by the family themselves.
Melania Trump released a statement, expressing her concerns. She said, "As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing. When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it."
Donald, on the other hand, seemed to imply Barron, who was only 11 years old at the time, was particularly disturbed.
He wrote on X, "Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11-year-old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!"
Barron Allegedly Screamed Upon Seeing the Picture
White House sources claimed the 11-year-old was startled.
Sources close to the family underscored the story that young Barron believed the photo was real when he saw it on a news broadcast. An insider told TMZ he panicked and screamed "Mommy, Mommy!"
"He's 11," indicated the source. "He doesn't know who Kathy Griffin is and the head she was holding resembled his dad."
As for Griffin's gag about the young Trump penning her notes, it's unclear if they've ever actually had contact. Radar contacted the White House for comment.
Griffin Claims the Political Landscape Changed
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She remains committed to her anti-Trump stance.
Griffin also compared the political landscape of today with that of the time she dropped the image. She emphasized, "I don’t want to kill the president! I’m not trying to kill the president!”
In 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom speculated today's reaction to the picture would be a bit different. During a podcast, he told her there "maybe a couple little blogs, back and forth" rather than the circus that ensued.
Griffin seemingly agreed. She claimed that she's even less scared to cause controversy now, as the narrative around the photo has allegedly shifted.
