Story highlights While Chelsea Manning has thanked Obama for her commutation, an op-ed she wrote was critical

'What we need is a strong #unapologeticprogressive to lead us,' Manning wrote in a new op-ed

(CNN) President Donald Trump called Chelsea Manning an "ungrateful TRAITOR" in an early morning tweet Thursday, the President's first public comments since the former army private and leaker had her sentence commuted by former President Barack Obama.

"Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!" Trump wrote in a post.

Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017

Trump appeared to be responding to an op-ed in the Guardian that Manning shared on Twitter on Wednesday in which she wrote that Obama's presidency had been insufficiently progressive.

"Takeaway from the @BarackObama legacy: What we need is a strong #unapologeticprogressive to lead us," Manning wrote in a tweet that linked to her piece.

Takeaway from the @BarackObama legacy: What we need is a strong #unapologeticprogressive to lead us. https://t.co/HCag432bq1 — Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) January 25, 2017

"The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama's legacy: do not start off with a compromise," Manning wrote in the op-ed . "They won't meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader."

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