Davos, Switzerland - Just when the Swiss
mountain spat between US President Donald Trump and Greta
Thunberg seemed to have blown over, US Treasury Secretary
Steven Mnuchin took a new dig at the young climate activist on
Thursday.
Asked during a news conference about Thunberg's call to
divest from fossil fuels, Mnuchin said: "Is she the chief
economist? ... After she goes and studies economics in college,
she can come back and explain that to us."
Mnuchin's quip came two days after Trump and Thunberg
sparred indirectly at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski
resort of Davos. After Trump said the US had committed to
joining the one trillion tree initiative, Thunberg retorted that
fixing the climate crisis was not only about trees.
Before he left Davos, however, Trump seemed to extend an
olive branch, saying he wished he had seen Thunberg speak.
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg listens as US President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Picture: Markus Schreiber/AP
Addressing the Trump administration's stance on climate,
Mnuchin said the US position had been "misunderstood."
"There is a real misinterpretation of the US policy. Let
me be very clear: President Trump absolutely believes in clean
air and clean water and having a clean environment."