Greta Thunberg has continued her beef with Donald Trump, saying she wouldn’t speak to him if given an opportunity.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme via Skype, the Swedish eco-activist said: “Honestly, I don't think I would have said anything [to Donald Trump] because obviously he's not listening to scientists and experts, so why would he listen to me?”
“So I probably wouldn’t have said anything, I wouldn't have wasted my time".
Donald Trump, an established climate change skeptic who has pulled out of the 2015 Paris Agreement and relaxed or rolled back dozens of Obama-era environmental rules, has attacked Thunberg more than once in the past few months.
Earlier in December, for instance, he suggested that she “work on her anger management problem”, while in September he mocked her impassioned speech at a UN climate change summit in New York.
Greta Thunberg, with her dire predictions about the environment and her aggressive campaigning for more action on climate change, has divided opinions worldwide. While thousands of young people across the globe heeded her call and joined Friday school strikes, some politicians have been skeptical about her agenda.
Brazil’s President Bolsonaro, another outspoken climate change skeptic, has referred to Thunberg as a “brat” and complained she receives too much press, while Australian Prime Minister Morrison shot back that he was “not here to impress people overseas” after the girl called on his government to take more action on environmental protection.
“Those attacks are just funny because they obviously don't mean anything", Thunberg told the BBC. “I guess of course it means something – they are terrified of young people bringing change which they don't want – but that is just proof that we are actually doing something and that they see us as some kind of threat".
Her father, Svante Thunberg, who also took part in the broadcast, recounted how Greta was fighting with mental issues prior to leading her youth climate strikes.
He said that he felt it was “a bad idea” for Greta to engage in campaigning, but said that she handles the criticism “incredibly well”.