Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Tells Greta Thunberg to ‘Study Economics’

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin answered questions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday and took the opportunity to criticize 16-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg. The Swedish campaigner addressed the conference on Wednesday.

“Does Greta Thunberg’s call for an end to fossil fuel investment threaten US economic growth?” Mnuchin was asked.

“Is she the chief economist?… That’s a joke.”

“After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us,” Mnuchin said.

As Thunberg would likely point out, she has criticized those who refuse to acknowledge the science of climate change. She has also argued that the search for ever expanding economic growth is harming the environment and is unrealistic.

Mnuchin is not the first member of the Trump administration to openly mock Thunberg. President Donald Trump has joked about her on Twitter, but was quickly mocked himself when the 16-year-old responded by making his insult into her Twitter bio.