US President Donald Trump dismissed Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg as a “young, angry person” on her claims of being kidnapped, after Israeli forces seized and diverted the Gaza-bound ship carrying her to the Israel.
Thunberg, 22, was among the 12 people part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition who boarded the charity vessel with humanitarian aid set to break the Israel backed anvil blockade on the Gaza Strip. It was intercepted and towed to the Israeli port city of Ashdod on Monday evening, Israeli foreign ministry said.
The climate activist was deported from Israel to Sweden via France on a flight, Israel’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
During a press conference on Monday, Trump was asked by a reporter to respond to the remarks made by Thunberg that she has been “kidnapped” by the Israeli authorities. To this, the President said: “She said she was kidnapped by Israel? I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg”.
“She’s a young, angry person…I don’t know if it’s real anger, it’s hard to believe, actually. But I saw what happened. I think she has to go to anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her,” he added.
🚨REPORTER: “Do you have a message for Greta Thunberg?”
TRUMP: “She’s a strange person. She’s a young angry person. She’s certainly different. I think she has to go to an anger management class, that’s my primary recommendation for her.” LOL 😂 pic.twitter.com/6F4mKk9Hk5
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) June 9, 2025
The British flagged yacht Madleen had been carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formul, to raise international awareness about crisis in the Gaza Strip. It was operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
Before the vessel was captured by Israeli naval forces, a video was released by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition where Thunberg said “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel.”
BREAKING: Press statement by Gaza Freedom Flotilla:
“We have just received confirmation that all 12 volunteers from the ‘Madleen’ are currently at Ashdod Port. They are being processed and transferred into the custody of Israeli authorities. They are expected to be moved to the… pic.twitter.com/psXuv2iISW
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 10, 2025
“I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,” Greta Thunberg added in the FCC video.
Israel’s foreign ministry said that the vessel carrying 12 people, including Thunberg had docked in Ashdod and they were “undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health”. Israel dismissed Thunberg’s boat as a “selfie yacht”.
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