Brian Glenn, the White House correspondent for Real America’s Voice, has publicly apologised to Volodymyr Zelensky for previously mocking his choice of clothes during an Oval Office visit. On Monday, Glenn praised the Ukrainian leader’s appearance, telling him, “First, President Zelensky, you look fabulous in that suit. You look good. I apologise to you. Look wonderful.” Donald Trump, sitting beside Zelensky, quickly added that he had said the same thing.
Zelensky fires back with a joke
Zelensky replied, pointing at the journalist’s outfit, “I changed, you’re not.” The Ukrainian president wore the same black jacket he had at a June NATO summit in the Netherlands. Sources described it as “suit-style” but not a full traditional suit. He matched it with a black shirt but no tie.
What happened the last time?
Back in February, Glenn, who is dating Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, clashed with Zelensky during a tense Oval Office meeting. At the time, he asked, “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. Just want to see if, do you own a suit?” He added, “A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office.”
Trump had also made jokes about Zelensky’s military-style attire, telling reporters then, “He’s all dressed up today.” That visit spiralled into a shouting match between the two leaders.
Ahead of Monday’s high-stakes meeting with Trump and top European leaders in Washington, the White House asked Ukrainian officials if Zelensky would wear a suit, two sources told Axios. One Trump adviser had joked that if Zelensky did dress up, “it would be a good sign for peace,” but added they still did not expect him to wear a tie.