Entertainment
- Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, was recently named Time magazine's 2019 Person of the Year.
- President Donald Trump then took to Twitter to criticize Thunberg's win as "ridiculous," saying the teenager had an anger management problem and needed to "chill" by watching a movie with a friend.
- Thunberg did not respond to the tweet but she did change her Twitter bio to clap back at Trump, whose attack on Thunberg has been widely criticized online as jealousy that he didn't win himself after being on the shortlist.
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Swedish activist Greta Thunberg changed her Twitter bio in response to President Donald Trump's mocking tweet criticizing her win as Time magazine's Person of the Year and telling her she should "chill" and "work on her anger management problem."
Thunberg was named Time magazine's 2019 Person of the Year this week after rising to international prominence as the face of youth climate activism. However, Thunberg's honor wasn't well-received by everyone - particularly Trump, who was himself shortlisted for the award and didn't win.
"So ridiculous," Trump tweeted Thursday morning, referencing a tweet congratulating Thunberg. "Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"
While Thunberg didn't responded to Trump's tweet with her own post, she did offer a timely update to her Twitter bio shortly after. "A teenager working on her anger management problem" the 16-year-old's bio says. "Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."
Previously, Thunberg's bio read, "16 year old climate and environmental activist with Asperger's," according to internet archive tracker Wayback Machine.
Trump's criticism of Thunberg is already drawing fierce criticism online from those questioning Trump's use of Twitter to mock a 16-year-old with a neurological disorder. Others referenced the uproar last month after a witness at the Trump impeachment hearings used the name of Trump's 13-year-old son, Barron, to make a pun about the president's constitutional power. Some were quick to call on first lady Melania Trump - who runs an anti-bullying campaign - to voice the same amount of outrage to Trump as she did after Barron's name was used.
Some posited that Trump is jealous he wasn't awarded Time's honor, which he was shortlisted for this year alongside Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
Trump was named Time's Person of the Year in 2016 shortly after being elected president, and he made headlines the following year when he claimed he turned down a chance at being named Person of the Year again because Time wanted to interview him. Time has denied telling Trump he would "probably" get the honor, and Trump's tweet about it has been widely mocked.
That's not to mention that before winning the Time honor in 2016, framed fake Time magazines showing Trump photoshopped on the cover were spotted around his golf clubs.
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