Analysis: "Zelensky's Attire Irritated Trump"
Criticism of Trump Spreads on Social Media... "The Strong Bully the Weak"
The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 28th of last month (local time) ended in failure after a heated exchange of words.
Analysis suggests that President Zelensky's attire irritated President Trump's side.
On that day, President Zelensky wore a black shirt emblazoned with the Ukrainian national emblem, cargo pants, and combat boots. Upon his arrival, President Trump, who came to greet him, shook his hand and made a pointed remark to the press, saying, "He’s all dressed up today."
On TikTok, a video of a retired U.S. soldier watching this scene, shedding tears and expressing anger, went viral. Screenshot from SNS
As this news spread on social networking services (SNS), a video of a U.S. military veteran shedding tears while calling it "dishonorable" went viral.
Since the outbreak of the war with Russia, President Zelensky has consistently worn military attire when meeting foreign leaders to convey a message of resistance. When meeting President Trump, Zelensky wore a black shirt that was more formal than usual but still did not wear a suit.
U.S. President Donald Trump (left) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Photo by Yonhap News
During the subsequent public meeting, there was also mention of Zelensky’s attire. A reporter from the conservative cable channel Real America’s Voice asked Zelensky, "You hold the highest office in this country, yet you refuse to wear a suit," and added, "Many Americans think you do not respect the dignity of this position. Do you even own a suit?"
When this scene was broadcast, criticism against Trump’s side intensified on SNS. Most voices described the situation as the stronger Trump side bullying Zelensky, who is the leader of an ally and in a vulnerable position on the brink.
On TikTok, a video of a U.S. military veteran watching this scene, shedding tears, and expressing anger became a hot topic. He strongly criticized, saying, "They are trash who care only about suits while people are fighting for their country and dying."
He expressed his anger, saying, "I really hate this country, and it’s truly dishonorable," and added, "I can’t believe what happened at the White House. Please forgive us."
This video received over one million likes and more than 210,000 comments. Additionally, many pointed out that during the first cabinet meeting presided over by President Trump after his inauguration, everyone wore suits except Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was dressed in a T-shirt and hat.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
