‘Keep up the great work’: Trump jabs at Greta Thunberg in Twitter proxy battle

US President Donald Trump has taken another swipe at Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, retweeting a pro-MAGA account mocking the teenage eco-campaigner.

Thunberg’s impassioned speech to world leaders at last week’s UN Climate Action Summit established her as the world’s leading spokesperson against climate change. But not everyone agrees with her apocalyptic message and lack of clear-cut suggestions for change.

Among the critics is Trump and some of his voters. On Thursday, the president held off directly attacking Thunberg but retweeted a post from one of his supporters calling the climate crusader “an actress,” and refusing to be “held hostage by someone who just got a learner’s permit.”  

Trump retweeted the post, encouraging the commenter to “keep up the great work.”

Trump’s insult-by-proxy comes after he sarcastically referred to Thunberg as a “very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future” last week. Thunberg’s predictions for the future are anything but bright. In her UN speech, she warned of an impending “mass extinction” and “collapsing” ecosystems.

Trump also publicly snubbed Thunberg at the New York summit, strolling straight by the teenager to speak to reporters, a diss that spawned a flurry of internet memes and comments.

Thunberg’s reception elsewhere has been decidedly warmer. Democrat lawmakers invited her to speak on Capitol Hill last month, and the 16-year-old activist has addressed parliament in Britain and France, as well as the World Economic Forum in Davos this year.

However, a handful of world leaders have taken aim at her emotionally-driven climate sermons. French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured hugging Thunberg in February, denounced her “radical” stance last week. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Thunberg as “kind,” but cautioned that “emotions should not control” debate over climate change.

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