Greta Thunberg is again at the center of controversy after her humanitarian mission to Gaza was cut short by Israeli forces, drawing a sharp rebuke from former U.S. President Donald Trump. 

“Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg,” Trump said on Monday, reacting to the 22-year-old activist’s claim that she and fellow passengers were “kidnapped in international waters.” The young activist alleges she was attempting to deliver aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials confirmed that Thunberg was detained and later deported to Sweden.

Israeli Military Intercepts Gaza-Bound Vessel

Thunberg was part of a group of nearly a dozen activists aboard a civilian aid boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The sailboat was intercepted by the Israeli navy over the weekend while it attempted to breach the naval blockade of Gaza.

According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the boat was redirected to an Israeli port where the passengers underwent medical checks and were processed for deportation. Thunberg was later photographed boarding a plane bound for Sweden via France.

“The ‘selfie yacht’ carrying Greta Thunberg and the other so-called ‘celebrities’ is continuing its journey toward an Israeli port,” the ministry posted on X. “Upon arrival, arrangements will be made for their return to their respective home countries.”

Trump Unleashes Characteristically Sharp Remarks

Speaking at a press conference following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump was asked about Thunberg’s detainment and whether it had come up in conversation.

“Well, she’s a strange person,” Trump said. “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. She’s certainly different. Anger management. I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has publicly clashed with Thunberg. The two have traded barbs on social media in the past, often over climate policy and activism.

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Thunberg Calls for Pressure on Swedish Government

Thunberg released a pre-recorded video over the weekend in which she urged her supporters to demand her release.

“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel,” Thunberg said. “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.”

The video, widely shared online, sparked a wave of online activism and a renewed debate about Gaza, international law, and the role of celebrity activists.

Official Response and Ongoing Debate

Israeli officials defended the interception, citing the naval blockade of Gaza as a longstanding and necessary security measure. The Foreign Ministry also downplayed the incident, referring to the group as “so-called celebrities” and dismissing their mission as “performative.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has previously attempted to break the blockade and deliver aid to Palestinians, often resulting in interception by Israeli authorities.