It was only recently that US President Donald Trump urged Thunberg to “chill” and “work on her Anger Management problem.” She’s been labelled by various critics as everything from unstable to hysterical and mentally ill. And the terror that she invokes in grown men has led many to openly demonstrate their misogyny.
Now US Treasury Chief Steven Mnuchin is the latest to attempt to dismiss her through sarcasm, jokes and condescending language, pretending he didn’t know who she was when asked during a press conference about Thunberg’s call for world leaders to divest from fossil fuels, at the World Economic Forum.
“Is she the chief economist? Who is she? I’m confused,” he said, before pausing and saying it was a joke.
Then he went on to say that she was in no position to be sharing ideas or advice on climate change, given she doesn’t have a university degree.
“After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us.”
Thunberg did what she does best, and responded through tweets — immediately, and straight to the point.
My gap year ends in August, but it doesn’t take a college degree in economics to realise that our remaining 1,5° carbon budget and ongoing fossil fuel subsidies and investments don’t add up. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/1virpuOyYG
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 23, 2020
So either you tell us how to achieve this mitigation or explain to future generations and those already affected by the climate emergency why we should abandon our climate commitments. 2/3
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 23, 2020