Greta Thunberg denied Thursday that she’d be appearing in the capacity of an “expert” on a CNN coronavirus town hall — as the network faces criticism for adding the teenager to a lineup of public health experts.
The 17-year-old insisted that she’ll only be interviewed about her activism as part of the program, “Coronavirus Facts and Fears.”
“Tonight I’ll be interviewed on CNN to talk about the new campaign supporting @UNICEF during COVID-19 and about being an activist in a world altered by the coronavirus,” Thunberg wrote on Twitter. “It seems some people thought I was going to be on an expert panel, which of course has never been the case.”
The climate activist then fired back against criticism that she had no place alongside other guests, former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, 71, and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Richard Besser, 60
“I am an activist. The only people claiming that I’m an ‘expert’ are those who are trying to ridicule me,” Thunberg said. “My message has always been to unite behind the science and listen to the experts.”
CNN came under fire Wednesday for Thunberg’s placement on the program when journalist Yashar Ali asked his 619,000 Twitter followers, “What place does Greta Thunberg have in this town hall?”
“I understand that but this is a panel of top health experts and administrators,” he wrote. “A climate activist would be better suited on a different panel. She’s not a climate scientist. It’s a matter of placement.”
CNN didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.
