Washington, Jan 25 (IANS): The White House has asked that Donald Trump's youngest son Barron be allowed to grow up away from the political spotlight, as has been a "tradition" with the children of previous presidents.

"It is a longstanding tradition the children of presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight... We appreciate your cooperation in this matter," the White House on Tuesday said in a statement sent to the media.

Barron Trump, 10, is the youngest child of the newly appointed President and the only one he had with first lady Melania Trump, his third wife.

He will be the first little boy in the White House since John-John, son of former President John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), when he moves with his mother to the presidential residence here this summer after finishing his school year in New York.

The White House statement came after the boy was the subject of a controversy and has been the object of all kinds of comments in the press and social media.

A scriptwriter for the satirical programme Saturday Night Live (SNL), Katie Rich, posted on Friday a tweet on her personal Twitter account that "Barron will be this country's first homeschool shooter," which aroused heated indignation among other social network users and got her immediately suspended from the programme.

Rich apologised on Monday, but neither the President nor the White House commented on the matter until it issued its brief, non-specific statement on Tuesday.

Who did comment was someone who knows what it is like to grow up in the White House: Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former President Bill Clinton.

"Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does -- to be a kid," she wrote.