Donald Trump’s Tweet About 16-Year-Old Greta Thunberg Ignites Firestorm
On Monday night, President Donald Trump retweeted a video of 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg giving her fiery speech to the United Nations earlier today. Trump’s retweet included a comment — one that many took as sarcastic — about Thunberg’s state of mind.
During her time at the microphone, the girl, who openly talks about having Asperger syndrome, was anything but happy, and she cried. At one point, Thunberg said, “how dare you?” to the U.N. She told them that people on earth are not only suffering but also dying. She chastised the group for making everything about money and never-ending economic growth, and she accused them of failing her generation and future generations as well.
Trump retweeted a quote from Thunberg, along with a video of the teen’s talk to the group.
“She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!” wrote the president.
Many Trump supporters allege in the comments that Thunberg is the victim of child abuse, and a relatively standard version of the comment made its way across social media today after the teen spoke out about her convictions and disappointments in the governments of the world today. Even Fox News guest Michael Knowles called the girl mentally ill earlier today, The Inquisitr reported. After the name-calling, the network apologized and said it would not book Knowles again.
Even so, the idea spread among supporters. Attorney and conservative commentator David Wohl summed up the sentiment among conservative Trump supporters.
“That girl is the victim of severe child abuse. Some of the worst psychological abuse I have seen,” replied Wohl. “Eventually, she will need to participate in cult deprogramming. Sad!”
On my way to the United Nations. Today I’m speaking in the General Assembly at the Climate Action Summit. This is such a crucial day, world leaders are gathering at the UN in New York to decide on our future. The eyes of the world will be upon them. pic.twitter.com/0GSjmfqoxW
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 23, 2019
However, plenty of people erupted in fury after the president appeared to mock the teen’s earnest plea for help from the U.N.
“Picking on an innocent young girl is absolutely disgusting!!” replied one seemingly angry Twitter user.
“You need professional help,” urged another commenter.
“The President of the United States, making a sarcastic, snide comment to make fun of a 16-year-old passionate about fighting climate change is a new low for Trump. Disgusting,” replied surgeon Eugene Gu, MD.
Others suggested that maybe Trump is upset and jealous that the 16-year-old has received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
“All of the money in the world can’t buy #DonaldTrump class, or the Nobel Peace Prize Greta Thunberg has been nominated for it,” pointed out another user.
“I can’t wait to see this girl win a Nobel Peace Prize,” wrote Bryan Tyler Cohen, host at Occupy Democrats.
NPR reported that Thunberg calls her Asperger’s syndrome as her “superpower.” She, along with 15 other children from 12 different nations, filed a legal complaint against five countries. They used the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child to justify their suit against France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Turkey. Those countries failed to curb their emissions despite ratifying the U.N. treaty. The United States signed the convention, but never ratified it, remaining the sole country to sign but never ratify the human rights agreement.
