Vanessa Trump has revealed the personal struggles she experienced as her eldest daughter, Kai, navigated a pivotal chapter in her young life as the teenager is busy preparing to go to college.
The 47-year-old mother of five offered a rare and heartfelt glimpse into her maternal perspective during a recent video on her daughter’s YouTube channel. In a cooking competition segment between the pair.
And although her relationship with golf icon Tiger Woods has drawn media attention since it was made public in March 2025, it is Vanessa’s role as a mother that continues to resonate most strongly with the public.
Eventually the discussion shifted from recipes to revelations, as Vanessa spoke vulnerably about the emotional toll of helping her baby prepare to go to university to chase a degree.
“We visited quite a few colleges, this past summer, which was an emotional roller coaster,” Vanessa shared. “When your kid goes away, you want them to pick the school they want to go to.
“But inside I also want her to go not too far.”
Kai Trump’s college pick: Where will the golfer play?
Kai, a promising golfer and social media influencer with over 1.16 million subscribers on YouTube, was evaluating several universities for her academic and athletic future and eventually landed on the University of Miami.
This strikes a pretty good middle ground for the mother and daughter, who take comfort in the final decision as the golf prospect signs on with the Hurricanes for the 2026 NCAA season.
“I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Miami,” Kai said in a statement. “I would like to thank my mom, Vanessa, and my dad, Don [Trump Jr.], for always supporting me through my journey.
“I would like to thank my Grandpa [Trump Sr.] for giving me access to great courses and tremendous support.”
Trump, the sitting president of the United States, owns numerous golf properties worldwide from the USA to Scotland, Ireland, the UAE, and Indonesia and has served as a key part of Kai’s development.
He provided her with a unique foundation for pursuing competitive golf from a young age, and now she can also learn from a true master of the sport as her mother has started dating Tiger Woods too.
Woods, who has won 15 majors and ranks second of all-time in majors won, could potentially pass on the secrets of the trade if he becomes a step-father figure, although he is currently busy teaching his own son, Charlie, how to play.
Recently, both golf prospects competed at the 41st Nicklaus Junior Championship, and it was Charlie who ended up with the family bragging rights as he left the two-round event placing 25th out of 36, whilst Kai was last in her pool.
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