Getty/AP
Greta Thunberg (L) and Michelle Obama (R.)
- Michelle Obama sent Greta Thunberg a public message of solidarity on Friday following a vitriolic attack on the teenager by US President Donald Trump.
- "Don't let anyone dim your light," Obama tweeted. "You have so much to offer us all. Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on."
- Trump said on Thursday it was "so ridiculous" that the 16-year-old was named Time magazine's Person of the Year, and said she should "work on her Anger Management problem."
- Democratic Party members rallied behind Thunberg in response, highlighting the irony of Trump insulting a child on the internet when his wife Melania runs an anti-bullying charity.
- Thunberg has grown accustomed to dealing with puerile insults from world leaders like Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
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Former First Lady Michelle Obama tweeted a message of solidarity to Greta Thunberg on Friday after US President Trump said the decision to name her Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2019 was "so ridiculous."
"Don't let anyone dim your light. Like the girls I've met in Vietnam and all over the world, you have so much to offer us all. Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on," Obama wrote.
Trump and his campaign team were not at all impressed with Time's ruling.
"So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!" - he tweeted on Thursday.
Democratic Party members rallied behind Thunberg, who has Asperger syndrome, in response, highlighting the irony of Trump insulting a child on the internet when his wife Melania runs an anti-bullying charity.
Later on Thursday, the Trump campaign's "Trump War Room" Twitter account posted a picture of the president's head photoshopped onto Thunberg's Time cover.
It was captioned: "When it comes to keeping his promises, there's only one Person Of The Year."
Trump once claimed he turned down the chance to be Time's person of the year. Trump said the magazine tipped him off he would be winning the 2017 award, but that he refused to accept, claiming they wanted an interview and photoshoot in exchange.
Alan Murray, CEO of TIME, tweeted in response: "Not a speck of truth here."
Thunberg has grown accustomed to dealing with puerile insults from world leaders and pundits who disagree with her views.
After Trump expressed dismay at Thunberg's award, she changed her bio on Thursday to: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."
Earlier in the week, Thunberg was called "little brat" by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Thunberg did not respond in kind, but subtly changed her Twitter bio to "pirralho" which means "brat" in Portuguese.
Screenshot/Obama Foundation
16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg (left) met with former President Barack Obama on September 17, 2019.
Her Twitter biography normally reads: "16-year-old climate and environmental activist with Asperger's."
Back in September, after Thunberg gave an impassioned speech to UN leaders about climate inaction, Trump tweeted: "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!"
Thunberg changed her Twitter bio shortly after. It read: "A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."
.@GretaThunberg, don't let anyone dim your light. Like the girls I've met in Vietnam and all over the world, you have so much to offer us all. Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on.
- Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) December 13, 2019So 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, 2019When it comes to keeping his promises, there's only one Person Of The Year:
✅Booming Economy
✅Record Job Creation
✅Historic Tax Cuts
✅#AmericaFirst Trade Deals
✅ISIS Destroyed
✅Building the Wall#TIMEPOY #PromisesMadePromisesKept pic.twitter.com/bEt9yqInqY
- Trump War Room (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TrumpWarRoom) December 12, 2019