The Ukrainian president was criticized for not wearing a suit when meeting with Donald Trump
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was accused of being ‘disrespectful’ for not wearing a suit to the White House.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with former U.S. President Donald Trump at his official residence on Friday, February 28. However, what started as a diplomatic discussion quickly spiraled into chaos.
At the heart of their intense exchange was Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia—a conflict that erupted in February 2022 when Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the BBC, Russia has suffered a staggering 95,000 military casualties since the war began. Meanwhile, The Kyiv Independent reports that over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives on the battlefield.
With thousands of lives lost, world leaders are eager to find a resolution to the ongoing war—including former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite his complex relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump extended an invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a meeting at the White House on Friday. However, tensions arose before discussions even began—this time, over Zelenskyy’s attire.
“He is all dressed up today,” Trump remarked as they entered the West Wing, a comment seemingly directed at Zelenskyy’s choice of clothing. According to Sky News, the Ukrainian leader had ignored advice to wear a suit for the high-profile meeting.
During the Oval Office gathering, where several members of the press were present, reporter Brian Glenn put Zelenskyy on the spot, asking, “Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re at the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit?”
Since the war began, Zelenskyy has consistently opted for all-black, military-style attire in official meetings—a symbol of his wartime leadership.
In response to Brian Glenn’s remark about his outfit, the Ukrainian president delivered a sharp yet composed reply: “I will wear a suit after this war is over. Maybe something like yours. Maybe better, maybe cheaper.” He then redirected the conversation back to the pressing issues at hand, emphasizing that his focus remained on the conflict and its devastating toll.
However, Glenn—a vocal MAGA supporter and the partner of controversial congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene—wasn’t finished. Taking to Twitter, he continued to criticize Zelenskyy’s choice of dress, fueling further debate.
But his public “dressing down” of the wartime leader didn’t stop there.
In his Twitter post, Glenn attempted to balance empathy with criticism, writing:
“I have extreme empathy for the people of Ukraine and all of those involved in this destructive war. The lives that have been lost are precious, and that’s something a country can never get back. The war needs to end.”
However, he quickly pivoted to questioning U.S. financial support for Ukraine, stating:
“With that said, the United States has given Ukraine over $120 billion (some say it’s close to $300 billion) in assistance. That’s hard-earned tax dollars from Americans—most of whom oppose this funding.”
Glenn also took aim at Zelenskyy’s signature wartime attire, arguing that world leaders typically dress “respectfully for the occasion” while the Ukrainian president consistently appears in his trademark green jumpsuit or similar military-style clothing.
He capped off his remarks with a pointed statement: “You can judge a book by its cover.”
