Donald Trump also suggested Greta Thunberg should take “anger management classes” following the Swede’s emotional SOS video after her aid boat Madleen was intercepted
Donald Trump took aim at Greta Thunberg in a savage rant – branding the climate campaigner a “young, angry person” with “anger issues”.
The President slammed the activist’s attempt to provide Palestinians with aid on the British-flagged boat Madleen, which Israeli forces intercepted in the early hours of Monday. During which, a video emerged on X (Twitter) showing Greta, 22, appealing for help from the Swedish government.
The campaigner, who was travelling with 11 other activists from across the world, has now reportedly been locked in a cell in Israel and will appear in court later today. However, Mr Trump showed no mercy as, in an interview with reporters today, he claimed Greta should attend “anger management classes”.
“Well, she’s a strange person. She’s a young, angry person. I don’t know if it’s real anger — it’s hard to believe, actually… I saw what happened. She’s certainly different,” Mr Trump said.
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The bullish President continued: “Anger management — I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”
It is believed Mr Trump had a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Although the world leader, 78, did not confirm if Greta came up in that conversation, he referenced “other problems” Israeli faces.
Shaking his head as he spoke, Mr Trump said: “I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg. Is that what she said? She was kidnapped by Israel?”
Madleen was seized by Israeli forces in “international waters,” thought to be the western fringes of the Mediterrenean Sea. The activists had travelled for several days on the yacht in the hope they would reach the Gaza Strip to support stricken communities.
Yet, once the ship was stopped, the Israeli Foreign Ministry described it as “a selfie yacht”. It said: “The yacht is claiming that it is delivering humanitarian aid. In fact, it is a media gimmick for publicity (which includes less than a single truckload of aid) – a ‘selfie yacht’.”
Greta, from Stockholm, is yet to respond to these remarks, as it is understood she has been locked up in an Israeli jail cell and will appear in a court for “illegal migrants” later today. Others onboard the ship have been – or are due to be – sent home to their home countries, authorities in Israel said.
Maria Malmer Stenergard, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that she believes Greta is not in need of support from the ministry after the climate activist called on followers to pressure the government into action.