Trump Calls Greta Thunberg ‘Troublemaker’ After Israeli Forces Abduct, Mistreat, and Deport Her From Gaza-Bound Flotilla
Washington (QNN)- US President Donald Trump has called Swedish activist Greta Thunberg a “troublemaker” after she was abducted by Israeli forces last week from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, mistreated in detention, and deported.
Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office about Israel’s deportation of Greta Thungberg and other pro-Palestinian activists who tried to break Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza.
“She’s just a troublemaker,” Trump said, referring to the Swedish campaigner. “You mean she’s no longer into the environment, now she’s into this?”
“She has an anger management problem, I think she should see a doctor,” Trump continued. “She’s so angry, she’s so crazy.”
“She has an anger management problem, I think she should see a doctor,” Trump said. “She’s so angry, she’s so crazy.”
Trump on Greta Thunberg: "She's just a troublemaker. She's no longer into the environment, now she's into this? She has an anger management problem. I think she should see a doctor … she's so crazy." pic.twitter.com/G3v8CSA4Ty
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 6, 2025
The mission, one of the largest aid missions to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, began with more than 50 vessels representing at least 44 countries, carrying some 500 international activists.
Between Thursday and Friday, as the flotilla approached the enclave, Israeli naval forces boarded the boats, cut off communications, jammed signals, and abducted the activists, forcing them to Israel for deportation.
However, according to the organizers, about 400 activists from over 40 countries are still detained by Israeli forces. On Monday, Israel deported the Swedish climate campaigner and 170 other activists. The activists had been flown to Greece and Slovakia, and that Greek, Slovakian, French, Italian, British and US citizens were among them.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said that activist Thunberg was subjected to harsh treatment while in Israeli detention.
In an email sent by the Swedish foreign ministry to people close to Thunberg, and seen by the Guardian, an official who has visited the activist in prison said she was detained in a cell infested with bedbugs, with too little food and water.
“The embassy has been able to meet with Greta,” reads the email. “She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.”
“Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed,” the Swedish ministry’s official added.
At least two other members of the flotilla who had been detained by Israeli forces and released on Saturday also said Thunberg is being mistreated.
“They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” the Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu news agency.
Lorenzo D’Agostino, a journalist and another flotilla participant, said after returning to Istanbul that Thunberg was “wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy” – a scene described with disbelief and anger by those who witnessed it.
According to lawyers from the NGO Adalah, the rights of the crew members have been “systematically violated”, activists denied water, sanitation, medication and immediate access to their legal representatives “in clear breach of their fundamental rights to due process, impartial trial and legal representation”.
The Italian legal team representing the flotilla confirmed those detained were left “for hours without food or water – until late last night”, with the exception of “a packet of crisps handed to Greta and shown to the cameras”. Lawyers also reported instances of verbal and physical abuse.
Moreover, during a visit on Thursday night, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed calling the activists “terrorists” as he stood in front of them.
After their arrest, the flotilla’s legal team expressed concern over the treatment the crew members might face, particularly those who had previously been abducted and detained by Israeli occupation authorities.
This marks the second time Thunberg has been arrested alongside other flotilla members, after a similar attempt earlier this year ended with the activists’ arrest and deportation.
In response to Trump’s attack, Thunberg wrote in a post on Instagram, “To Trump: I would kindly receive any recommendations you might have to deal with these so called “anger management problems” since – judging by your impressive track record – you seem to be suffering from them too.”
