A finance executive and right-wing radio host has left many enraged after complaining about Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy's attire while addressing Congress from an active war zone.
Peter Schiff, an executive of Euro Pacific Capital and host of The Peter Schiff Show, complained that Zelenskyy wore a t-shirt during his meeting with Congress.
Nevermind that Zelenskyy has been engaged in combat for weeks amid the unlawful Russian invasion of his country, or that he was addressing Congress from an underground bunker while his country is being bombed and he is the subject of incessant assassination attempts by hired mercenaries.
None of that matters according to Schiff, who thinks Zelenskyy should've worn a suit, to show respect.
See his tweet below.
I understand times are hard, but doesn't the President of the #Ukraine own a suit? I don't have much respect for current members of the U.S. Congress either, but I still wouldn't address them wearing a t-shirt. I wouldn't want to disrespect the institution or the Unites States.— Peter Schiff (@Peter Schiff) 1647436236
Schiff wrote:
"I understand times are hard, but doesn't the President of the #Ukraine own a suit?""
"I don't have much respect for current members of the U.S. Congress either, but I still wouldn't address them wearing a t-shirt. I wouldn't want to disrespect the institution or the Unites States."
It's not often we witness someone so wildly out of touch with reality. Zelenskyy is the leader of a country that is enduring war crimes as Russia routinely bombs its schools, maternity wards, and other civilian infrastructure, after all.
Zelenskyy touched on these situations in his address to both chambers of Congress today, a speech that was bracing in its urgency to all but the most self-absorbed of people. Zelenskyy decried the situation in his country and the danger it poses to the world, and begged the U.S. government to do more to stop it.
“This is a terror that Europe has not seen, has not seen for 80 years and we are asking for a reply for an answer, to this terror from the whole world."
"...I call on you to do more, new packages of sanctions are needed constantly every week until the Russian military machine stops.”
But apparently all Schiff noticed was Zelenskyy's wardrobe, and the astonishing lack of basic humanity sent many on Twitter into a rage.
I understand times are hard but shouldn\u2019t you own a shred of dignity— kilgore trout, death to putiner (@kilgore trout, death to putiner) 1647439200
The military t-shirt conveys a message.\nIt's not the most important part of what's going on here.\n\nMr. Schiff doesn't just fail to read the room, he telegraphs it.\n\nTen points from Slytherin.https://mobile.twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1504082706598146058\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Monty Boa \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Monty Boa \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647442421
[Jesus Christ descends to earth and addresses all of humanity]\n\nPeter Schiff: \u201cWow. Sandals? Really?\u201d— connectpoliticditto. (@connectpoliticditto.) 1647443120
Something tells me the most difficult thing you\u2019ve ever had to face is someone stealing your parking spot at Whole Foods— Kate \ud83e\udd0d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Kate \ud83e\udd0d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647442235
pic.twitter.com/dwlyvSljD6— Grizz - The People\u2019s MRT\u2122\ufe0f (@Grizz - The People\u2019s MRT\u2122\ufe0f) 1647438954
Maybe since his city and nation is being shelled, bombed, and attacked by cruise missiles it's a little hard to get his dry cleaning.\n\nPriorities.https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1504082706598146058\u00a0\u2026— Rick Wilson (@Rick Wilson) 1647440958
pic.twitter.com/ptPiNZbDGQ— mrbigg (@mrbigg) 1647438698
If the institution of the United States can't applaud a Man who is fighting with and leading his people in a cruel and bloody War despite his choice of clothes then it disrespects itself.https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1504082706598146058\u00a0\u2026— Deborah Meaden \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Deborah Meaden \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647443906
Call us the next time you\u2019re ducking Russian cruise missiles and mercenary assassination teams about proper attire. Jesus this is pathetic.— Fred Wellman (@Fred Wellman) 1647441235
You understand? You\u2019ve been the president of a country at war? Please tell us.— Rachel Vindman \ud83c\udf3b (@Rachel Vindman \ud83c\udf3b) 1647441007
This may literally be the worst take ever tweeted. Literally the worst possible take ever tweeted -- and given that this is Twitter, that's pretty damn bad. \n\nThe only way you could make this worse is by turning this tweet into an NFT. \n\nGoddamn, you suck.— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) 1647442905
Schiff seemed unfazed by the blowback.
When someone suggested Zelenskyy in a suit might have been insulting to his people as they huddle in bomb shelters, Schiff countered they would understand he was showing respect to the U.S. Congress.
That reply went over about as well as his initial tweet did.
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