A voice from the press part joined the refrain of individuals demanding solutions from President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Friday, throughout a gathering with President Trump and his associates.
“Why don’t you put on a go well with?” a person requested Mr. Zelensky. “You’re on the highest degree on this nation’s workplace, and also you refuse to put on a go well with. Simply need to see if — do you personal a go well with?” He added, “A variety of People have issues with you not respecting the workplace.”
The questions got here from Brian Glenn, a correspondent for Actual America’s Voice, a right-wing cable channel that has unfold conspiracy theories about noncitizen voting and helped distribute Stephen Ok. Bannon’s “Conflict Room” podcast after Mr. Bannon was barred from YouTube, Spotify and different mainstream platforms.
Mr. Glenn’s outlet was chosen to take a “secondary TV” position within the White Home press pool alongside CNN on Friday — a place that didn’t exist earlier than this week. That entry was granted because the White Home continued to dam reporters from The Related Press from attending, based on a schedule despatched out by the White Home, and because it started this week to handpick the pool reporters who cowl the president in small settings, such because the Oval Workplace assembly with Mr. Zelensky.
Pool reporters attend the occasions in a rotation historically organized by the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation and share their observations with different shops not current.
Mr. Glenn’s feedback about Mr. Zelensky’s look echoed Mr. Trump’s on Friday because the Ukrainian chief stepped out of his automotive on the White Home. “He’s all dressed up right this moment,” Mr. Trump informed reporters, indicating Mr. Zelensky’s apparel.
For the reason that begin of the struggle, Mr. Zelensky has frequently donned standard-issue subject uniforms as a show of solidarity along with his nation’s armed forces. The criticism that he didn’t put on a go well with drew instant outcry on-line.
Mr. Zelensky obtained an outpouring of assist internationally after the assembly, which had turn out to be adversarial lengthy earlier than Mr. Glenn’s questions.
Lawmakers and media critics have been fast to level out that simply this week, Elon Musk had appeared at a cupboard assembly sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrases “tech assist” below an overcoat. And when Mr. Musk spoke alongside Mr. Trump within the Oval Workplace earlier this month, he seemed to be sporting a shirt that learn “Occupy Mars.”
Responding to the backlash, Mr. Glenn posted a prolonged private assertion on Saturday morning expressing “excessive empathy for the folks of Ukraine” however persevering with to berate Mr. Zelensky.
He urged within the submit that the olive-green army fatigues that Mr. Zelensky typically wears in conferences with different world leaders signaled respect, however that the black tactical sweater bearing his nation’s coat of arms didn’t.
“For him, as soon as once more, to enter the best workplace in probably the most highly effective nation on the earth, dressed as he did, displays his inside disrespect for not solely our nation, the President and the US residents which have made it potential for Ukraine to outlive so long as they’ve so far,” Mr. Glenn wrote.
On Friday, Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who’s relationship Mr. Glenn, applauded the trade on social media.
“I’m so pleased with @brianglenntv for mentioning that Zelensky has a lot disrespect for America that he can’t even put on a go well with within the Oval Workplace when he involves beg for cash from our President,” she wrote.
