Climate activist Greta Thunberg isn't looking to bury the hatchet with former President Donald Trump anytime soon—or ever.
Asked by The Guardian whether she could be friends with Trump, Thunberg had this to say:
"Well, I don't think we would enjoy each other's company that much. We have very different interests."
That's putting it mildly.
Trump's administration rolled back environmental protections and downplayed if not outright denied the impacts of anthropogenic climate change.
Thunberg and Trump sparred publicly during his time in office.
In 2019, after Time named Thunberg their person of the year, Trump denounced the decision, saying Thunberg, who is known to speak bluntly in public forums, "must work on her Anger Management problem."
Thunberg would later use Trump's exact words against him when he demanded a recount of the 2020 election results.
So ridiculous. Donald must work on his Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Donald, Chill! https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1324353932022480896\u00a0\u2026— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1604606007
Social media users haven't forgotten this either.
They responded with praise for Thunberg and criticism for the former President and those who have contributed to climate denialism.
That's because she's a smart young woman.\n\nGreta Thunberg Says of Donald Trump,'I Don't Think We Would Enjoy Each Other's Company'https://a.msn.com/01/en-us/AAOOzoS?ocid=st\u00a0\u2026— Sandra Di Gaetano (@Sandra Di Gaetano) 1632599605
Greta would wipe the floor with Trump for she is more intelligent than him.https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/greta-thunberg-says-of-donald-trump-i-don-t-think-we-would-enjoy-each-other-s-company/ar-AAOOzoS?ocid=msedgntp\u00a0\u2026— Dragon Against the Repubes! #TrumpForPrison2021 (@Dragon Against the Repubes! #TrumpForPrison2021) 1632624407
...as Trump fades into obscurity and Thunberg continues to set the world to rights, it looks like it is she who is having the last laugh.\n\n\u2018I don\u2019t think we would enjoy each others\u2019 company that much\u2019: Greta Thunberg snubs Donald Trumphttps://a.msn.com/07/en-gb/AAONPyS?ocid=st\u00a0\u2026— as-i-see-it #FBPE (@as-i-see-it #FBPE) 1632587744
"So there\u2019s hope for your friendship with Donald #Trump? She lets out a hiccup of laughter. \u201cWell, I don\u2019t think we would enjoy each other\u2019s company that much. We have very different interests.\u201d \n#GretaThunbergpic.twitter.com/rqmQv8bLNt— Mike Fly (@Mike Fly) 1632579823
The news should be that despite various people (James Hansen, Bill McHibben, Katherine Hayhoe, Greta Thunberg) ringing the alarm bells about climate change for YEARS, nothing has fundamentally changed.https://twitter.com/Newsweek/status/1441836063811530754\u00a0\u2026— Vizual Commander (@Vizual Commander) 1632597829
I LOVE BLUNT HONESTY!! YOU NEED TO BECOME A WORLD LEADER RUN YOUR NATIONhttps://twitter.com/Newsweek/status/1441836063811530754\u00a0\u2026— Nicole LeBlanc (@Nicole LeBlanc) 1632595618
That made her an ICON !https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1441701987784040448\u00a0\u2026— Ricky j benson (@Ricky j benson) 1632568443
It's sad when an adult feels threatened by a child. Very sad!— Alvin Myles (@Alvin Myles) 1632598877
If Greta Thunberg could stand up to trump and win, what\u2019s Merrick Garlands excuse?https://twitter.com/gumbo_goddess/status/1441972506353561606\u00a0\u2026— libfemdem = I\u2019m for mandatory VASECTOMY (@libfemdem = I\u2019m for mandatory VASECTOMY) 1632673718
It's safe to say Thunberg wouldn't befriend any climate deniers—period.
She even said she used to be in denial about climate change herself:
"When I first heard about it, I didn't think it was real because if it was real, people would do something about it. It didn't add up to me."
Trump wasn't the only world leader Thunberg criticized in her interview.
Thunberg believes praise for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern—who has referred to climate change as a matter of "life or death"—is evidence of "how little" people understand the climate crisis.
"Obviously the emissions haven't fallen. It goes without saying that these people are not doing anything."
The Guardian interview came on the heels of Thunberg's criticism of President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" climate plan after Biden's appearance at the United Nations last week.
Thunberg was firm the climate crisis is not something humanity can "build, buy or invest our way out of."
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
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