Source:
https://scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3041883/donald-trump-mocks-climate-activist-greta-thunberg United States & Canada
Donald Trump mocks climate activist Greta Thunberg, asks her to ‘chill’ and go to movies
- The US president slammed Time magazine’s naming of the Swedish teen as 2019 Person of the Year as ‘ridiculous’
- She first hit the headlines for her solo strike against global warming outside Sweden’s parliament last year
Swedish youth climate activist Greta Thunberg. Photo: AFP
US President Donald Trump lashed out at 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg on Thursday, a day after she was named by Time as its Person of the Year, calling her selection “ridiculous”.
The Swedish teenager has become a symbol of a growing movement of young climate activists after leading weekly school strikes in Sweden that inspired similar actions in about 100 cities worldwide. She has drawn large crowds with her fiery appearances at protests and conferences over the past year and a half.
In a Thursday morning tweet, Trump said, “Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend!”
He added: “Chill Greta, Chill!”
So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill! https://t.co/M8ZtS8okzE
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2019
Thunberg responded by updating her Twitter biography to include: “A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old-fashioned movie with a friend.”
It was not the first time Trump had tweeted about Thunberg. In September, following her emotional address at the United Nations, Trump appeared to mock her by tweeting that she “seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!”
Nor was it the first time Trump has lashed out after not being recognised for his influence. In 2015, Trump attacked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for “ruining Germany” after she was named Person of the Year, when he was listed as a runner-up.
Greta Thunberg responded by updating her Twitter biography. Photo: Twitter
Trump is the second world leader to take aim at Thunberg this week, after her concern over the slayings of indigenous Brazilians in the Amazon drew a harsh rebuke from the Latin American nation’s president on Tuesday.
Greta Thunberg was announced as Time magazine's 2019 Person of the Year. Photo: Time/AFP
“Greta said that the Indians died because they were defending the Amazon,” Jair Bolsonaro said. “It’s impressive that the press is giving space to a brat like that,” he added, using the Portuguese word “pirralha”.
Thunberg responded by changing her bio on Twitter, where she has over 3 million followers, to say “Pirralha.”
Additional reporting by Reuters