Melania Trump has broken her silence on her husband President Donald Trump's attack on teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, saying the 16-year-old Time cover star and her son, Barron Trump, are not in the same league.
The first lady has been criticized for not excoriating her husband, who tweeted Thursday it was "ridiculous" Time magazine named Thunberg its person of the year. Melania Trump previously rebuked law professor Pamela Karlan for mentioning Barron, 13, during an impeachment hearing before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month.
The first lady's spokesperson Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Friday that Barron Trump "is not an activist who travels the globe giving speeches," referring to the difference between him and Thunberg. "He is a 13-year-old who wants and deserves privacy."
The statement, published by USA Today, added: "BeBest is the First Lady's initiative, and she will continue to use it to do all she can to help children. It is no secret that the President and First Lady often communicate differently -- as most married couples do."
On Thursday, after Time unveiled its person of the year cover featuring Thunberg, Trump tweeted: "So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"
So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill! https://t.co/M8ZtS8okzE
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2019
Critics responded by drawing attention to Melania Trump's comments about using children as political pawns, as well as her Be Best cyberbullying campaign.
Earlier in December, Melania Trump posted a sharp response to Karlan, who mentioned Barron Trump while giving testimony in the House impeachment process. Karlan said: "The president can name his son Barron, he can't make him a baron." She later apologized during the same testimony, saying: "I want to apologize for what I said earlier about the president's son. It was wrong of me to do that."
But the first lady was not satisfied. She tweeted December 4: "A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it."
A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) December 4, 2019
Thunberg appeared to brush off Trump's Twitter attack, changing her own Twitter bio to read: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."
On Friday, Thunberg earned some support from former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Michelle Obama tweeted Thunberg, saying: ". @GretaThunberg, don't let anyone dim your light. Like the girls I've met in Vietnam and all over the world, you have so much to offer us all. Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on."
.@GretaThunberg, don’t let anyone dim your light. Like the girls I’ve met in Vietnam and all over the world, you have so much to offer us all. Ignore the doubters and know that millions of people are cheering you on.
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) December 13, 2019
The White House has been contacted for additional comment.
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