Melania said her son Barron is not an environmentalist like Thunberg when many criticized her for not advocating her.

The fight between Greta Thunberg and US President Trump continued as First Lady Melania was criticized by internet users for not defending the 16-year-old girl at her husband's sarcasm. Many compared her indifference to Thunberg to the angry reaction when Barron's son was bullied not long ago.

Criticism of Melania was further exacerbated because she was the initiator of the Be Best initiative, including a campaign against social bullying on children. Female spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham of the first lady on December 13 was forced to respond to the "storm" of public opinion with a statement explaining her attitude.

"Be Best is the First Lady's initiative and she will continue to use it to do everything possible to help children," the statement said. "It's no secret that the President and the First Lady often communicate differently, like most other couples."

The statement also stated that the couple's son, Barron, "was not an activist traveling the world to deliver speeches". "The boy is a 13-year-old boy who wants and deserves to be private," the statement added.

Last week, Melania defended her son when his name was mentioned by law professor Pamela Karlan during a Trump impeachment hearing on December 4.

"A minor has a right to privacy and should stay away from politics. Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your shameful and biased harassment, you even bring a child out to do it." ", Melania wrote on Twitter.

However, this week, she was completely silent when her husband said that he hooked Thunberg, saying that she should "control her anger" and "relax". He posted these sarcasm on Twitter after the environmental activist was voted "Time of the Year" by Time magazine.

Despite the explanation, Melania's announcement did not appease net user grievances. "With this announcement, the first lady is now as bad as the people that the Be Best campaign mocked," a commentator said. "She was sad about Barron but didn't think about Greta's mother."

President Trump has an unhappy relationship with Thunberg. In September, she was spotted looking at the President with angry eyes when attending a UN climate conference. Trump later described Thunberg as "a young girl heading towards a bright and wonderful future". Thunberg did not respond directly but changed his description on his Twitter account following Trump's sarcasm. On 12/12, she responded the same after his taunts.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, condemned Trump for sarcasm against Thunberg. "What president is bullying a teenager? Trump, you can learn something from Greta about what being a leader means," Biden wrote on Twitter.