Delaware boy Joshua Trump invited to White House after being bullied for name

A Wilmington, Delaware, boy who has been bullied for having the last name Trump is one of President Donald Trump’s special guests for Tuesday’s State of the Union address.

A White House press release said Joshua Trump, a sixth grader, has been bullied because of sharing a last name with the embattled president.

A December 2018 Inside Edition story brought Joshua Trump national attention. “They say, ‘Are you related to Donald Trump?’ I say, ‘Would I be here if I was related to him?’” Joshua Trump said.

According to Inside Edition, Joshua Trump’s parents considered homeschooling him and put him in a different school, only to find more bullying at his newer school. The bullying has stressed Joshua Trump out so much that he is now considering permanently changing his last name.

The sixth grader lives in Wilmington, Delaware, and considers his Uncle Cody, an Air Force serviceman, his best friend.

For the second year in a row, President Trump has invited a child with connections to the Armed Forces. For 2018’s State of the Union address Trump invited Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old Redding, California, native who gained attention for placing flowers on the grave sites of military veterans buried in the Northern California area.

According to a White House press release, “This year’s guests come from all different walks of life, and each has an incredible story to tell. No matter their background, each one has something important in common: They represent the very best of America.”

Less than two weeks after his unpopular push for a border wall separating the United States from Mexico caused the longest government shutdown in history, Americans have been anxiously anticipating President Trump’s speech.

President Trump’s State of the Union address will be broadcast live on all major news channels tonight at 9 p.m. EST.