Donald Trump mocks Greta Thunberg over climate activist's emotional UN speech: 'a happy young girl looking forward to a bright future'

Sean Morrison @seanmorrison_24 September 2019

Donald Trump has mocked teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg in a sarcastic tweet following her emotional speech to world leaders.

The US leader shared a video of the 16-year-old's emotional address to a United Nations summit - while the climate change activist had been filmed scowling at Mr Trump as he passed her at the event on Monday.

Mr Trump took aim at the youngster as he wrote alongside the footage: “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!”

Miss Thunberg had told governments: “You are still not mature enough to tell it like it is. You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal.”

Greta Thunberg addresses the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday (Jason DeCrow/AP)
AP

She added: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she said.

“The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line.”

As Mr Trump passed in front of Miss Thunberg at the summit, she fixed him with a steady stare and then scowled.

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg watches as Donald Trump enters the United Nations to speak with reporters (REUTERS)
Reuters

Julián Castro, the Democratic presidential contender, tweeted the footage showing the way she looked at the US leader, alongside the words: “I think a lot of us can relate.”

When Miss Thunberg arrived in New York last month, she said she had little hope she would be able to convince the president to take action over the climate emergency.

“I say ‘listen to the science’ and he [Mr Trump] obviously does not do that. If no-one has been able to convince him about the climate crisis and the urgency, why would I be able to?” she said.

Mr Trump risked slowing the diplomatic and policy momentum behind a global response to combatting climate change when he announced his decision to pull out of the 2015 Paris accord.

The US leader rolled back Barack Obama administration’s regulations on greenhouse gas limits for cars, trucks and power plants, and pushed the nation to burn more coal.

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