Who had Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin in the pool? Mnuchin wins as the first adult in the room bold enough to call out Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg for her climate alarmism gone wild. In Davos, where Miss Thunberg is being celebrated by adults from across the world as a wise environmental expert, Mnuchin delivered some wisdom of his own – go take an economics class young lady, then get back to us.

Yesterday John wrote about the latest absurdity coming from Greta as she addressed attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos. She is not alone in her demands that investments in fossil fuel companies end immediately. The money side of the battles with Big Oil and their partners was addressed many times in the Fire Drill Fridays protests led by Jane Fonda in Washington, D.C. Radical environmentalists want big banks and investment firms to stop funding the energy sector. It really is that simple in their minds. It is a dangerously naive mantra.

During a press briefing with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin in Davos, he had the nerve to state what is obvious to most of us – this young woman needs to complete her education before she appoints herself as a world policymaker. The rest of the adults are busy allowing a once-respected economic forum to turn into a social justice warrior’s dream event. Climate alarmism is a key topic in panel discussions and speeches. It’s a joke.

“Greta Thunberg has called for a public and private sector divestment from fossil fuel companies. Does that pose a threat to US economic growth?” a reporter asked Mnuchin.

“Is she the chief economist, or who is she? I’m confused,” the secretary replied. “It’s a joke. After she goes and studies economics in college she can come back and explain that to us.”

Yes, I know that President Trump has tweeted about Greta Thunberg but he tweets about everyone. It’s different coming from a member of his cabinet who isn’t known for such engagement. Mnuchin was able to be good-natured and at first, joke about not knowing who she is and then went on to suggest she take a class.

This is in sharp contrast to world leaders, and leaders-in-waiting, like Prince Charles, who pay special attention to Thunberg and make photo ops out of greetings. Prince Charles met her after delivering his own speech on climate alarmism. He, too, has fallen prey to the propaganda of those who would like us to believe that our planet will be over in 10 to 12 years.

Britain's Prince Charles meets Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg at World Economic Forum in Davos #reutersdavos #wef20 pic.twitter.com/Yx8jD3k7AT

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 23, 2020

Thunberg responded to Mnuchin on Twitter. She explained that she is taking her gap year from school.

My gap year ends in August, but it doesn’t take a college degree in economics to realise that our remaining 1,5° carbon budget and ongoing fossil fuel subsidies and investments don’t add up. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/1virpuOyYG

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 23, 2020

So either you tell us how to achieve this mitigation or explain to future generations and those already affected by the climate emergency why we should abandon our climate commitments. 2/3

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 23, 2020

Graph from @CarbonBrief by @hausfath and @robbie_andrew based on United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) emissions gap report. 3/3

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) January 23, 2020

After he dropped his little truth bomb on Thunberg, Mnuchin was interviewed on CNBC’s Squawk Box. He was asked about his comments. This gave Mnuchin the opportunity to assure the television audience that Trump and his administration are not anti-environmental extremists. What is missing from the radical left’s agenda on the environment is common sense solutions that will not destroy the economies of the United States and other countries around. Thunberg should concentrate efforts on lecturing China and India, for example, who have not done much to halt carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. The United States has exceeded expectations.

Mnuchin said that President Trump wants clean air and water just like everyone else. Trump has pledged that the U.S. will join the initiative to plant a trillion trees. And Mnuchin was able to slap down a question on if the administration should support a carbon tax. His answer is no, the administration does not support a carbon tax. The administration is all about cutting taxes, not finding new ones.

It’s good to hear the pushback from a cabinet member and not someone on Twitter. Mnuchin was able to calmly deliver some rational thoughts on climate change and the Trump administration’s policies while educating on the economic disaster of initiatives pushed by the Greta Thunbergs of the world. More of that, please.