Does Greta Thunberg Own a Private Jet? We Investigate the Internet Rumors

The Gist:

• In January 2023, Rebel News posted a video to X (formerly Twitter) of Greta Thunberg mockingly saying she owns private jets.
• Rebel News is a far-right, anti-mainstream media company founded by former oil lobbyist and millionaire Ezra Levant.
• Per an Equity Atlas blog post, there is no evidence that Thunberg actually owns any private aircrafts.

With the devastating environmental impact of private aircraft usage becoming public knowledge and thus derailing the legitimacy of some prominent climate activists' work, there may be no easier — or more strategic — put-down than alleging a climate leader utilizes private jets to travel.

That brings us to Rebel News, a far-right media company, posting a January 2023 video of a reporter accosting climate activist Greta Thunberg. Thunberg mockingly responded that she "own[s] 100 private jets" and uses them "all the time." As conspiracy theorists seek to discredit her intellect and credibility at every turn, Rebel News portrayed Thunberg's quotes as fact.

Rebel News supplemented its paparazzi-style confrontation of Thunberg with a biased and unreliable article that is rife with conspiracy theory-fueled questions and unsubstantiated claims, such as the notion that she is a child actor for whom all of her lines are pre-written.

Once the video was published in bite-size chunks and the misinformation was deliberately spread, other similar media companies and far-right social media accounts were all too eager to share the interview. Further, outlets spread the conspiracy theory that Greta Thunberg owns 100 private jets.

The Rebel News team claims they "penetrated" the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, where the interview with Thunberg occurred. Although Rebel News claims the WEF is "the world's most secretive organization," there is no evidence to suggest the 2023 forum or the organization itself, which was founded as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971 and engages in public-private collaboration, is less-than-reputable.

Even prominent and far-reaching U.S. publications like the New York Post couldn't resist jumping on the trend of bashing the then-16-year-old and perpetuating unsubstantiated claims in a 2019 article authored by its Editorial Board.

Ultimately, however, Equity Atlas confirms there is no evidence that Greta Thunberg owns any private aircrafts.

Thunberg is well-known for utilizing trains for long-distance travel, a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation than a plane. The Thunberg family has a firm stance against air travel due to its environmental impact.

To further discredit Thunberg's legitimacy, well-known Internet trolls, and far-right media companies have questioned whether Thunberg drives a car because why not?

The Thunberg family has utilized an electric vehicle in the past, though it is unknown if the family owned the vehicle or if it belonged to someone else.

Thunberg is likewise prominent in the Skolstrejk för klimatet (School Strike for Climate) series of demonstrations where school students skip Friday classes to demand accountability from world leaders. According to the Swedish-based publication Expressen, Thunberg's participation in these protests has inspired students worldwide to become more politically active.