A major new adventure has begun for Kai Trump as she steps into college life. The granddaughter of Donald Trump is now a student at the University of Miami, combining her academic studies with her passion for golf as a member of the school’s team.
Kai documented the emotional transition in a new YouTube vlog covering her first week as a freshman, including glimpses of her classes, new routines and life away from home. Before any of that could begin, however, she faced a goodbye that proved much harder than she expected.
The video captured Kai’s final moments at home in Jupiter, Florida, before moving full-time to Miami, where she expects to spend the next four years. With tears filling her eyes, she admitted, “It’s just really sad that I have to say goodbye to everyone today.”
Kai admitted that showing so much emotion felt unusual for her, since she rarely finds herself in tears. The reality of having to part ways with everyone that evening was particularly difficult for her to accept. She explained that she still had another day with her mother before their own goodbye, but even thinking about that approaching moment was already proving overwhelming.
Kai then spent one final stretch of time with her close friends before they went their separate ways for college. After the emotional farewell, she moved into her new Miami apartment and began preparing for freshman life, including an early morning start and a 7 a.m. meeting with her golf team.
The milestone follows a particularly challenging year for Kai and her family. Earlier in 2026, her mother, Vanessa Trump, revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Vanessa subsequently underwent treatment and surgery, and Kai recently said her mother appears to be doing much better. “It’s been a little bit of a rocky road, but she’s feeling better now, and hopefully she just continues getting better,” she explained.
Her mother’s experience has also changed Kai’s priorities. She said she now wants to support other families facing similar situations and plans to donate to breast cancer foundations. “I wanted to give back to families that also have been going through the same thing with their family members,” she said. As she begins college, Kai is therefore entering the next stage of her life after a year filled with both difficult family moments and major personal changes.
