Trump says ‘strange’ liberal activist Greta Thunberg needs anger management training after Gaza aid stunt

President Donald Trump called liberal activist Greta Thunberg ‘strange’ and suggested she needed ‘anger management’ therapy. 

Earlier Monday, Israel intercepted the boat that 22-year-old Thunberg and other pro-Palestinian activists were floating toward Gaza, to bring food aid and push for a Palestinian state.

During a Monday afternoon White House event, Trump was asked if Thunberg was brought up in his call earlier with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  

‘Well she’s a strange person. She’s a young, angry person. I don’t know if it’s real anger. It’s hard to believe. But I saw what happened,’ Trump said. ‘She’s certainly different.’

He then floated the idea of ‘anger management’ for Thunberg.  

‘I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her,’ Trump advised. 

Trump was also asked if he thought Thunberg was ‘kidnapped’ by Israel, as the Swedish climate change activist claimed. 

‘I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg,’ Trump said. 

President Donald Trump (left) called liberal activist Greta Thunberg (right) ‘strange’ and suggested she needed ‘anger management’ therapy.

Greta Thunberg speaks at a press conference ahead of the Madleen’s voyage to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Madleen was intercepted Monday morning 

‘Is that what she said, she was kidnapped by Israel?’ Trump later asked a reporter. 

Thunberg was on board a civilian vessel called the Madleen that was being operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which was intercepted Monday morning by Israel forces.

The Swedish climate activist appeared in a pre-made video making the kidnapping charge. 

‘My name is Greta Thunberg and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israel occupational forces or forces that support Israel,’ she said. 

‘I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the other as soon as possible,’ Thunberg said.  

Israel’s Foreign Ministry characterized the activists as attention-seeking, calling the boat a ‘selfie yacht’ filled with ‘celebrities.’ 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thunberg and the other pro-Palestinian activists would be shown imagery of the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel by Hamas – which started the current fighting. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blocked most food aid going into Gaza in March.  

Greta Thunberg is photographed Monday after Israeli forces boarded the Madleen, a boat that is part of the Freedom Flotilla Commission that was sailing for Gaza to bring Palestinian civilians humanitarian aid 

Trump was also asked about the current status of food aid going into Gaza. 

‘Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel and Iran actually is involved. And we’ll see what’s going to happen with Gaza,’ Trump said. 

‘We want to get the hostages back,’ he said referring to the Israeli citizens who were kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack. 

The U.S. was able to get Edan Alexander, the last American-Israeli hostage back from Hamas last month, ahead of Trump’s trip to the Middle East. 

The president skipped Israel on his first major international swing after Pope Francis’ funeral, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.