Michelle Obama defends Greta Thunberg after Trump tweet

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By VT

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Earlier this week, Greta Thunberg was named Time magazine's Person of the Year, after condemning world leaders for not doing enough to combat the climate crisis back in September.

Check out the moment Greta condemned world leaders for their lack of action before staring down President Trump: 

However, not everyone had positive things to say about Thunberg being handed the honor.

It probably goes without saying but the US president and the 16-year-old Swede aren't exactly each other's biggest fans. And so when Trump learned that the teenager had been named Time magazine's Person of the Year, he responded to the decision by branding it "ridiculous" and suggesting that Greta has an anger management problem.

A mural of Greta Thunberg was vandalized within just hours of being completed:

"So ridiculous," Trump tweeted. "Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"

The climate activist received a lot of support from other high-profile figures in the wake of Trump's comments, most notably from the former First Lady herself, Michelle Obama.

Taking to Twitter, Obama reached out the teenager, writing: "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."

Obama's tweet was met with a great deal of support from Twitter users:

"This is how a leader should act. Building people up, rather than tearing them down. Oh how I miss moments like these. Class act," one wrote. While another agreed: "A true leader who lifts those around them."

Of course, it's highly unlikely that Thunberg would let anyone, especially the president, "dim her light".

Indeed, shortly after Trump tweeted the dig, she expertly trolled him by changing her Twitter bio to read: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."