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Louise Linton, Steve Mnuchin's wife, deletes post in support of Greta Thunberg

The treasury secretary had dismissed the teen activist's call for divestment of the fossil fuel industry.
Image:
Steven Mnuchin and Louise Linton in 2017.Rex Features via AP

The wife of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin posted Saturday on Instagram in support of climate activist Greta Thunberg after she called this week for divestment in the fossil fuel industry.

Thunberg, 17, speaking in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday during the annual World Economic Forum attended by world leaders, billionaires and academics, called for immediate divestment.

Mnuchin, a former investment banker and Hollywood film producer appointed to his post by President Donald Trump, dismissed the idea Thursday by suggesting Thunberg was not qualified to make such a call.

"Who is she?" he said in Davos. "After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us."

His wife Louise Linton, a Los Angeles-based actor and producer, had an opposing opinion, posting on Instagram Saturday, "I stand with Greta on this issue."

"(I don't have a degree in economics either)," she said. "We need to drastically reduce our use of fossil fuels. Keep of the fight @gretathunberg."

The post, screen-captured by multiple journalists, was subsequently removed with no explanation.

Thunberg responded to Mnuchin on Friday, telling reporters in Davos, "We are being criticized like that all the time, and if we would care about that we wouldn't be able to do what we do."