Television personality Piers Morgan blasted climate activist Greta Thunberg for claiming she was “kidnapped” by Israeli forces during a pro-Palestinian mission, calling her statements “attention-seeking” and “an insult” to victims held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
“Oh shut up, @GretaThunberg — you attention-seeking narcissist,” Morgan posted on X on Monday. “What an insult to the actual hostages in Gaza who really WERE kidnapped. This stupid stunt is all about your ego, and will make zero difference to the plight of innocent Palestinians caught up in this dreadful war.”
Oh shut up, @GretaThunberg – you attention-seeking narcissist. What an insult to the actual hostages in Gaza who really WERE kidnapped. This stupid stunt is all about your ego, and will make zero difference to the plight of innocent Palestinians caught up in this dreadful war. https://t.co/T5Tej2fgZ4
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 9, 2025
Thunberg was aboard the Madleen, a Gaza-bound “aid flotilla” intercepted by the Israeli navy early Monday after it entered restricted waters.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it detained the vessel and redirected it to the port of Ashdod, where the passengers were handed over to authorities. The IDF said the passengers were unharmed and given water and sandwiches.
Following the interception, Thunberg appeared in a prerecorded video posted by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, saying: “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces.”
But Israeli officials strongly pushed back on that narrative. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded in a post on X: “The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the ‘selfie yacht.’ Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the ‘selfie yacht’ to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area.”
Thunberg’s “kidnapped” claim quickly sparked backlash.
Pro-Israel human rights attorney Brooke Goldstein accused Thunberg of “propagandizing pain,” writing: “Greta Thunberg has the audacity to claim she was ‘kidnapped’ — after being peacefully intercepted, handed sandwiches and water by the IDF, and brought safely to Ashdod for deportation.”
“Greta is not a hostage,” Goldstein said on X. “She is not being tortured in a Hamas tunnel. This ‘selfie yacht’ was a propaganda stunt. And it mocks the very meaning of the word ‘hostage.’”
Propagandizing Pain: Greta Thunberg has the audacity to claim she was “kidnapped” by Israel—after being peacefully intercepted, handed sandwiches and water by the IDF, and brought safely to Ashdod for deportation.
Let’s be clear: Greta is not a victim. She is not a hostage. She… pic.twitter.com/1xVAZYuzlw
— Brooke Goldstein (@GoldsteinBrooke) June 9, 2025
President Donald Trump also weighed in on Monday, responding to reporters asking about Thunberg’s remarks following his phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“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. Anger management. I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”
Asked specifically about her “kidnapping” claim, Trump said, “I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg.”
Trump on Greta Thundberg:
"Shes a strange person. She’s a young angry person… I think she has to go to an Anger Management class. That's my primary recommendation."
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 9, 2025
The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said passengers were “safe and unharmed” and added, “The show is over.”
Thunberg, 22, has been vocal about her pro-Palestinian stance in recent months, frequently denouncing Israel’s actions in Gaza. She was joined on the vessel by 11 other activists, including Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham.
Cunningham told the media as they started their voyage that they planned to “break Israel’s siege.”
The attempted voyage was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s effort to bypass Israeli aid restrictions and draw attention to the conflict, but critics say the operation was more about spectacle than substance.
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Since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 50 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Families of those kidnapped have continued to plead for global focus on their plight.
Morgan’s post concluded: “This stunt makes a mockery of their suffering. Shame on you, Greta.”
