During a meeting between President Zelensky of Ukraine and President Trump, reporter Brian Glenn faced criticism for questioning Zelensky’s choice of attire, asking why he didn’t wear a suit. This prompted accusations of disrespect towards the U.S. President and citizens. Glenn’s comments mirrored Trump’s earlier remarks about Zelensky’s outfit and were echoed on social media by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who supported Glenn’s stance. Critics highlighted the inconsistency of attire expectations, citing Elon Musk’s casual dress. Following backlash, Glenn expressed empathy for Ukraine but maintained his critique of Zelensky’s clothing choices, insinuating a lack of respect for the U.S.
During a meeting with President Trump and his team on Friday, a voice from the press section added to the chorus of inquiries directed at Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, seeking clarification on his appearance.
“Why aren’t you in a suit?” the gentleman asked Mr. Zelensky. “You hold one of the top positions in this nation, yet you choose not to don a suit. I’m just curious—do you even own one?” He continued, “Many Americans view your lack of respect for the office as a significant issue.”
The questions were posed by Brian Glenn, a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a conservative cable network known for promoting conspiracy theories regarding noncitizen voting and for distributing Stephen K. Bannon’s “War Room” podcast following Mr. Bannon’s removal from platforms like YouTube and Spotify.
On Friday, Mr. Glenn’s outlet was granted a “secondary TV” role in the White House press pool alongside CNN—a position that had not existed prior to this week. This arrangement came as the White House continued to deny access to reporters from The Associated Press, according to a schedule released by the White House, while also selectively choosing pool reporters for intimate settings like the Oval Office meeting with Mr. Zelensky.
Pool reporters typically attend events in a rotation organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association and share their insights with other absent media outlets.
Mr. Glenn’s remarks concerning Mr. Zelensky’s attire paralleled Mr. Trump’s comments made on Friday as the Ukrainian leader arrived at the White House. “He’s all dressed up today,” Mr. Trump remarked to reporters, gesturing at Mr. Zelensky’s clothing.
Throughout the conflict, Mr. Zelensky has consistently worn standard military uniforms to express solidarity with his nation’s armed forces. The disapproval regarding his choice to not wear a suit sparked immediate reactions online.
Post-meeting, Mr. Zelensky was met with widespread international support, even as tensions had escalated well before Mr. Glenn’s inquiries.
Critics in Congress and the media quickly noted that earlier this week, Elon Musk had shown up to a cabinet meeting wearing a T-shirt that read “tech support” beneath an overcoat. Additionally, when Mr. Musk appeared alongside Mr. Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month, he was seen wearing a shirt that said “Occupy Mars.”
In response to the criticism, Mr. Glenn released an extensive personal statement on Saturday morning, conveying “deep sympathy for the people of Ukraine” while continuing to criticize Mr. Zelensky.
In the statement, he argued that the olive-green military fatigues Mr. Zelensky commonly wears during meetings with world leaders signify respect, whereas the black tactical sweater displaying his country’s coat of arms does not.
“For him to enter the highest office in the most powerful nation, dressed as he did, demonstrates his inherent disrespect for not just our country but also for the President and the U.S. citizens who have been instrumental in allowing Ukraine to persevere,” Mr. Glenn stated.
On Friday, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is involved with Mr. Glenn, praised the interaction on social media.
“I’m really proud of @brianglenntv for highlighting that Zelensky exhibits so much disrespect for America that he won’t even wear a suit in the Oval Office when he comes to request funds from our President,” she wrote.