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These Photos Of Young Don Jr. Show He & His Dad Are Closer Than You'd Think

by Lani Seelinger
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When Donald Trump first started running for president, he effectively brought his entire family into the spotlight along with him. While his children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka were already public figures to some extent, their fame hit a new level when their father's victory catapulted them into the first family. What was going on with Trump's eldest child before that fame, though? These photos of young Don Trump Jr. will give you a glimpse into the life of the president's oldest son, long before his father was the president.

Don Jr. was born on the very last day of 1977, when Trump Sr. was already a public figure, according to The Guardian. When Don Jr. was 12 years old, his father went through a very messy, public divorce with his mother, Ivana Trump, which upset Don Jr. to the point that he wouldn't speak to his father for a full year, according to Business Insider. From the beginning of his father's campaign, however, Don Jr. cemented himself as one of his father's staunchest defenders, as GQ wrote. And it's clear from looking at the pictures of his younger self that Don Jr.'s relationship with his father wasn't all fraught. Here are just a couple of looks into Don Jr.'s life before his father made it to the White House.

1

Just A Few Years Back In Time ...

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This photo from 2003 shows Don Jr. when he was 26, posing with his father and first lady Melania Trump. Donald and Melania got married in 2005, so this is while they were still dating.

2

Hitting The Slopes

This gem comes from one of Don Jr.'s Instagram posts, in which he describes his hairstyle as "some serious '80s/'90s flow." Judging by the general look — and the reflection in his glasses — it looks like it came from a ski slope, but there's no hint of where or when exactly.

3

The Once Happy Couple

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Don Jr. and Vanessa Trump announced their divorce in March 2018, but this photo from 2004 shows a happier time in their relationship.

4

One Of The Earliest Don. Jr. Photos

Don Jr. was born on Dec. 31, 1977 — and this was the picture he posted on his 40th birthday.

"A lot has changed in the past 40 years," he wrote in his Instagram post on the occasion. "A bit of reflection on my 40th birthday from the early days."

5

Glammed Up Siblings

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Don Jr. and Ivanka Trump were certainly used to the public eye before their father decided to run for president, and this photo from 2005 offers proof.

6

Brothers In The Sun

Don Jr. and his younger brother Eric are now heading up the entire Trump Organization, but this Instagram post of Don Jr.'s shows a time when they had fewer responsibilities.

7

Before Fatherhood

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This photo from 2006 came from the final few months of Don Jr.'s pre-fatherhood days. His oldest daughter Kai was born in 2007, and she's 11 years old now.

8

Impressively '80s

As much as the woman in this photo might look like Ivanka, it's actually their mother, Ivana, rocking a serious 1980s look.

9

Two Trumps, Three Generations

This old school shot of Don Jr. features both of his parents and his grandfather — but it's his maternal grandfather, Miloš Zelníček, who he described in his Instagram post as being "really instrumental in shaping so much of my life and my passion for he [sic] outdoors." Don Jr. spent a lot of time with Zelníček at his grandfather's home in Czechoslovakia as a child, and he's fluent in Czech as a result.

10

A Childhood Brush With Stardom

In 1988, an 11-year-old Don Jr. met football player, mixed martial artist, and all-around athlete Herschel Walker at an event put on by the Trump Organization.

11

Smiling Sibs

Don Jr.'s Instagram post with this photo of him and Ivanka doesn't provide a date, but maybe you can take a guess based on their hair styles.

12

Matching Bowl Cuts

Don Jr. posted this photo to honor National Siblings Day, and it also gave him a chance to use the hashtag "Make Bowl Cuts Great Again."

13

In The Presence Of Yankees Greatness

Don Jr. doesn't look so interested here, but in this photo he's surrounded by two Yankee greats — former owner George Steinbrenner and former manager Billy Martin.

"I certainly didn't get the magnitude of this NY moment at the time but I definitely do now. Really amazing history there," he wrote along with his Instagram post.

14

A Different View Of The President

While Don Jr. also didn't provide a specific date for this photo, he posted it the day before his father's 2017 inauguration in order to wish him well.

15

Father And Son

A very young Don Jr. and his father, enjoying some time outdoors.

16

More Baseball

The Trump family apparently spent time watching both New York City baseball teams, as Don Jr. wrote in his Instagram post, which he said was taken at a Mets game.

"Looks like I'm sporting the original l'm not impressed face, or maybe it's just because someone is sticking a camera in my face while I'm trying to watch the game with my dad," Don Jr. wrote.

17

One Of The First Don Jr. Photos

Who knows how many photographs people have taken of Don Jr. throughout his life — but this surely one of the first ones. He posted this on Instagram two years ago, on his 39th birthday in 2016.

Don Jr. turns 41 today, and his life now is very different from what it was even five years ago, before his father launched a presidential campaign. Through these photos, though, you can see a little bit of what things were like for Donald Trump's son in his earlier years.