Donald Trump Jr. is facing heavy criticism after he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an "international welfare queen" ahead of Zelenskyy's address to Congress, marking his first foreign visit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
Trump Jr. made the remark in response to a post from Washington Examiner correspondent Byron York which noted Zelenskyy was prepared to ask for more funding to aid the war effort.
A full-year government funding bill currently under consideration was released yesterday. It includes $45 billion in new emergency funds for Ukraine.
You can see Trump Jr.'s tweet below.
\u201cZelensky is basically an ungrateful international welfare queen.\u201d— Donald Trump Jr. (@Donald Trump Jr.) 1671634344
Zelenskyy has become a globally popular figure in the months since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the process angering much of the international community and creating the worst humanitarian crisis Europe has seen in decades.
The last ten months have seen Zelenskyy speak to the United Nations (UN), foreign governments, and other governmental bodies as he's pleaded for financial, military and verbal support to defend his nation from Russian aggression.
But many right-wingers have complained relentlessly about Zelenskyy, stressing that the United States has sent too much humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine already.
Allegations that Zelenskyy is effectively stealing from American taxpayers have thus far energized Republicans, who recently rallied behind Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who introduced a resolution to audit United States military and economic aid for Ukraine.
The resolution, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was defeated in a 26-to-22 vote because Democrats still control the panel. However, the fact it was introduced indicates, as The Washington Post pointed out, "that the Biden administration will face stricter scrutiny of its support for the war effort when control of the House shifts next year."
Many have criticized Trump Jr. for his remark and pointed out his hypocrisy given his own family's history of financial misdeeds.
\u201cOne of the sad realities of the new right is that views that once were so silly and fringe that amplifying them would be nutpicking are now held by some of the GOP's most popular voices. Comparing a man leading a nation fighting for its life to a welfare cheat is pure nonsense.\u201d— David French (@David French) 1671656453
\u201cLiterally the most jealous and bratty man child to exist. The apple doesn\u2019t fall far.\u201d— FriendlyKozak \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@FriendlyKozak \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671656471
\u201cthe gall of a guy whose solely relevant because of daddy\u2019s name and money calling anyone a welfare queen is just crazy\u201d— delaniac \ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udf31 (ChadNotChud@home.social) (@delaniac \ud83c\udf39\ud83c\udf31 (ChadNotChud@home.social)) 1671655840
\u201cLook at The Pot calling the Kettle Black. You, your family and Business\u2019s don\u2019t pay your full share of taxes AND cheat your Supporters out of their money. SO WHAT DOES THIS MAKE YOU, an American Welfare QUEEN?\u201d— Papo (@Papo) 1671654537
\u201cThe EXACT opposite is true. The Western world is fighting Russia for its brazen violations of international law using the hands of Ukrainians. Ukrainians are dying FOR YOU and your ideas such as integrity of borders. You are not providing sufficient help AND demanding gratitude.\u201d— Stardust Collector (@Stardust Collector) 1671650723
\u201cComing to you from the guy who lives off his daddy, who in turn makes his money from lying, cheating, fraud, and Putin.\u201d— JodiJacobson \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83e\ude78\ud83e\uddb7 @jljacobson@mastodon.social (@JodiJacobson \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83e\ude78\ud83e\uddb7 @jljacobson@mastodon.social) 1671654953
\u201cHe's caught in an existential struggle for survival, in a brutal system not of their own making, while the US government tosses them barely enough to survive and conservatives sneer.\n\nSo yes, I suppose that does sort of describe the experience of welfare recipients in the US.\u201d— Nikolaj\ud83c\udf66\ud83e\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Nikolaj\ud83c\udf66\ud83e\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671651577
\u201cThe combination of weapons-grade hypocrisy and parable-like lack of self-awareness here is impressive \n\nAlso, the "welfare queen" slur should have been banished from the lexicon back in the 90s, and definitely has no place today.\u201d— Andrew Donaldson (@Andrew Donaldson) 1671652956
\u201cYou\u2019ve been legally banned from running a charity in NY state because you stole money from kids with cancer. But sure\u2026 we\u2019re going to listen to YOU about financial fraud.\n\nLoser.\u201d— Jon Morgan \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Jon Morgan \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1671647683
Trump Jr. has repeatedly shared conspiracy theories about the war in Ukraine, even going so far as to disseminate disinformation linked to Russia's Internet Research Agency—also known as the Glavset—which is engaged in online propaganda and influence operations on behalf of Russian business and political interests.
Shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine, Trump Jr. made headlines for making the erroneous claim that attorney Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic President Joe Biden, is to blame for Russia's aggression, recirculating conspiracies about Hunter Biden's alleged "business misdealings" that were the basis for a debunked New York Post report.
That report has also been part of the recent "Twitter files" leak of a series of messages between the social media platform's leadership team in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election that has prompted President Biden's strongest detractors to promise investigations once Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives in January.
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