Donald Trump was in rare form this morning, lashing out at 16-year-old global warming activist Greta Thunberg, calling her Time magazine ‘Person of the Year’ award ‘ridiculous.’
Yesterday, Time announced that Thunberg was its person of the year for her activism that has commanded the world’s attention.
Trump wasn’t on board with the decision.
“So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!” Donald wrote in a morning tweet.
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
As she has in the past, Thunberg capitalized on the criticism and updated her Twitter biography to match the president’s tweet.
The Trump attack on the teen comes just a week after Melania Trump took to social media to scorn an impeachment witness who had mentioned her son.
A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 4, 2019
Melania Trump has remained silent today on her husbands attack on Thunberg, prompting a severe backlash, with many online mocking her “Be Best” anti-bullying campaign.
Good morning.
The president of the United States is using his twitter account to bully a child.
Be Best, Donald. https://t.co/sjjuGtnFWa
— Zack Hunt (@ZaackHunt) December 12, 2019
If only we had a US-based anti-bullying campaign “led” by a widely-followed public figure. That would be best. https://t.co/SEpVMZRZyX
— Mariana Alfaro (@marianaa_alfaro) December 12, 2019
Seriously @FLOTUS if you don’t call out the President right now delete the #Bebest movement. https://t.co/HLeXOQAsvx
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) December 12, 2019
Hey @FLOTUS…since you’re so outraged when children are used and bullied…how about a public rebuke of your sociopath husband for bullying a 16 year old girl with Asperger’s? Oh right, I forgot, “I really don’t care, do you?” #BeBest #Melania #Trump #GretaThunberg
— Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) December 12, 2019
The President of the United States is using his powerful platform to bully a schoolgirl.
Hey, @FLOTUS, is this what you meant when you said #BeBest?
Your husband is bullying a 16-year-old girl.
Why are you silent in this?#GretaThunbergOutdidTrump https://t.co/W2HLEbCt5D
— Rula Jebreal (@rulajebreal) December 12, 2019
Bullying a child to start your day??? #BeBest https://t.co/IxnPmskuxe
— Andrew Learned (@AndrewLearned) December 12, 2019
The President of the United States just bullied a child, one week after his wife @FLOTUS scolded a witness who mentioned their son. No words. https://t.co/tvkCXTVoky
— Jim Heath (@JimHeathTV) December 12, 2019
You know what doesn’t “make America great”? The president of the United States attacking 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg while he is simultaneously denying climate change and destroying our planet. #BeBest
— Ryan Knight 🏳️🌈🗽 (@ProudResister) December 12, 2019
Damn, Trump’s had more to say about a teenage climate activist than his own teenage son… Sad… #BeBest #bebestmyass
— Cyrus McQueen (@CyrusMMcQueen) December 12, 2019
Wow, didn’t take long for Trump to malign Greta Thunberg… Seems when he isn’t walking in on teenage girls, he’s walking all over them… #BeBest #MissTeenUSA
— Cyrus McQueen (@CyrusMMcQueen) December 12, 2019
Where is the faux “first lady’s” outrage about #BeBest as her husband taunts 16 year old @GretaThunberg Time Magazine’s Person of the Year? She was so worked up when Professor Karlan used Barron’s name as an example about monarchy. But it’s okay for Trump to trash tweet Greta? pic.twitter.com/W3DmWJxZKQ
— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) December 12, 2019
Thank you for bringing the hypocrisy of #FLOTUS‘ #BeBest campaign to our attention. Her husband’s bullying Ms. Thunberg, a child, seems to have gone unnoticed by her “team”, and by extension, by Melania herself. https://t.co/0lvNM9tw9F
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) December 12, 2019
He can’t bully @SpeakerPelosi so he’s trying to bully a teenager. #Sad #BeBest https://t.co/lhNFcguDMi
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 12, 2019
Let’s talk about going after children shall we?
Cc: @IvankaTrump #bebest https://t.co/NttYTebyZ8— Randy Bryce (@IronStache) December 12, 2019
No word yet as to how this latest setback to her #BeBest movement is going over with the enigmatic first lady. https://t.co/xRNGRUsCG7
— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) December 12, 2019
It takes a certain kind of person like Trump to bully a 16-year-old activist with Aspergers whose only mission is to save our planet as we know it. #BeBest right Melania?
— Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) December 12, 2019
This year’s Time short list included Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hong Kong’s democracy protesters.
Asked Wednesday if the White House had a comment about Trump losing the honor to Thunberg, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley responded to reporters: ‘Huh?!?’
Thunberg is the magazine’s youngest-ever Person of the Year.
The teen girl with Asperger’s syndrome is the face of the youth climate movement, drawing large crowds with her appearances at protests and conferences since last year.
Her angry accusations that world leaders are failing the younger generation have made headlines, including her shouts of ‘How dare you?’ during the UN General Assembly this year.
Trump has said he doesn’t believe global warming is mainly caused by humans. During the 2016 campaign he claimed it was a ‘hoax’ promoted by China in order to gain economic advantage over the United States.
Trump has since withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris Climate Treaty.
Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal told the Today show: ‘She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year, coming from essentially nowhere to lead a worldwide movement.’
Thunberg and her movement has been praised by many as an important voice of her generation.