Barron Trump’s UK friend called him ‘sweetheart’ — enraging her alleged attacker
A man accused of raping Barron Trump’s long-distance friend in London allegedly attacked the woman after she referred to the first son as a “sweetheart,” a UK court heard on Friday.
Matvei Rumianstev, a 22-year-old Russian citizen, is on trial in Britain over the alleged assault. Prosecutors say the attack followed an argument fueled by jealousy over the woman’s friendship with Barron, the youngest son of President Trump.
Rumianstev acknowledged in court that he felt jealous but denied beating or sexually assaulting his former girlfriend because of her relationship with Barron. According to prosecutors, he became enraged after seeing an incoming FaceTime call from Barron on the woman’s phone in the early hours of January 18 last year.
The court heard that after the woman took the call, Rumianstev allegedly raped her and later sent a text message stating, “You started calling him sweetheart, I felt so unwell.” Rumianstev denied that he was angry at the time.
Testifying in his defense, Rumianstev said he answered the final FaceTime call himself in an attempt to calm a drunken argument between the couple. He told the court he believed doing so might cause his girlfriend to reconsider her behavior. “I thought she would realize that her behavior was unreasonable and that she wouldn’t act like that in front of someone else, especially Barron Trump,” he said.
Barron Trump reportedly contacted British police after witnessing part of the confrontation during the call. The woman later testified that his actions may have saved her life.
It remains unclear how long Barron and the woman, who met online, had known each other prior to the alleged attack.
Rumianstev told the court that he was accustomed to seeing calls on his girlfriend’s phone and initially did not think much of Barron’s call. However, he claimed he was upset by what he described as her behavior toward Barron, saying it was inappropriate and unfair.
“I am being portrayed as a jealous person who loses his temper because of jealousy,” Rumianstev said. “I want to make clear that her actions toward him were wrong.” He has pleaded not guilty to all assault and rape charges.
The White House has not commented on Barron Trump’s involvement in the case.
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