This 11-year-old who was bullied in school for his last name Trump invited to President's speech

Washington, Feb 06: Joshua Trump, an 11-year-old who was bullied because of his surname, was among the guests at the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night.

The schoolboy, a student from Wilmington, Delaware, had to drop out of school because of the abuse and told his mother he had lost the will to live, was invited to the speech by First Lady Melania Trump.

First lady Melania Trump has been vocal about the dangers of online bullying. She has even chosen to highlight the issue at the State of the Union address by inviting Joshua Trump, an 11-year-old from Wilmington, Del., as her guest.

Presidential guests at the State of the Union are a decades-long tradition, and they usually serve a symbolic - even political - purpose, either attending to receive thanks for their patriotic contributions or to underscore a policy position or argument of the president. Lawmakers in the audience, in turn, bring guests of their own.

Children are occasional invitees. In addition to Joshua and others, the president will be joined by 9-year-old Grace Eline who was successfully treated for a brain tumor and who made a mark in her hospital community with her optimism and strength of spirit. For his first State of the Union, in 2009, President Barack Obama invited eighth-grader Ty'Sheoma Bethe after she asked Congress for funding for her school.