"Can Swim Very Well": Greta Thunberg Hits Back At Trump Ally Over Gaza Trip

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has hit back at South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham for mocking her Gaza trip, saying it spoke "a lot about their priorities". Mr Graham, an ally of US President Donald Trump and a vocal supporter of Israel, earlier sparked outrage after sharing a cryptic comment about Ms Thunberg on X.

Sharing an article by The Times of Israel about the 22-year-old activist, he wrote, "Hope Greta and her friends can swim!"

Hope Greta and her friends can swim!https://t.co/Noab4QyJtV

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 1, 2025

Asked about her response to Mr Graham's post, Ms Thunberg told Democracy Now, "We can swim very well... In the face of genocide and systematic starvation of two million people, lawmakers, elected officials, whose responsibility should be to serve the people and to protect the people, that they, rather than ending their complicity in genocide and the massive slaughtering of civilians, are focusing on mocking people who are at least trying to do their bit," she said.

"I think that says everything we need to know about their priorities," she added.

Ms Thunberg is among a dozen crew members sailing to the war-torn strip with a boat full of humanitarian aid. They set sail on Sunday aboard the Madleen, a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). Besides her, among 11 others are Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. Ms Hassan is of Palestinian descent.

The group claims their mission is a "non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel's illegal siege and escalating war crimes."

Gaza faced a total blockade from the Israeli side for more than 90 days. It has remained under land, sea, and air restrictions since 2007.
The Benjamin Netanyahu government has bombed the city of roughly two million people over a year and a half, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The airstrikes have targeted schools, hospitals and even camps where thousands have taken refuge after being displaced and asked to move multiple times.

Mr Thunberg and others are carrying essential supplies, including milk, protein bars, baby formula, diapers, flour, rice, water filters, hygiene products, and medical equipment, for locals in Gaza.

According to Al Jazeera, Forensic Architecture, a multidisciplinary research group based at Goldsmiths, University of London, has equipped the ship with an advanced tracking system. Earlier in the day, its live feed showed it off the southeast coast of the Greek island of Crete.

Earlier, a senior military spokesperson for Israel said they were "prepared" to prevent the flotilla's arrival.

"For this case as well, we are prepared," Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Brig General Effie Defrin told The Times of London. "We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly."