First lady Melania Trump said Friday that comparisons between Greta Thunberg and her son, Barron, aren’t valid, and suggested her husband’s recent insult of the 16-year-old climate activist wasn’t bullying, on the grounds that Thunberg is a world famous public figure.
“BeBest is the first lady’s initiative, and she will continue to use it to do all she can to help children,” says a statement from press secretary Stephanie Grisham, tweeted by CNN’s Kate Bennett. “It is no secret that the President and First Lady often communicate differently — as most married couples do. Their son is not an activist who travels the globe giving speeches. He is a 13-year-old who wants and deserves privacy.”
Thursday, one day after Time Magazine named Greta Thunberg “Person of the Year,” President Trump mocked her on Twitter, saying “So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, chill!”
Critics attempted to paint Trump’s comment as hypocrisy, because earlier in the month, the Trumps and several Republicans claimed to be offended and outraged because Barron was referred to by name during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee last week. Pamela Karlan said, “Contrary to what President Trump has said, Article 2 does not give him the power to do anything he wants. The Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a baron.”
The first lady then tweeted Karlan “should be ashamed” for using a child to conduct “very angry and obviously biased public pandering.” Shortly after, Republicans claimed Karlan had somehow insulted or attacked Barron. Karlan later apologized, but critics said doing so only validated a bad faith line of attack.