LONDON — Nigel Farage ignited controversy on Monday when he implied that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s choice of attire during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump negatively impacted their interaction. Farage, the leader of Reform UK and an ally of Trump, argued that Zelenskyy’s casual dress could have contributed to Trump’s explosive reaction regarding U.S. support for Ukraine last Friday.
Farage’s perspective on attire and respect
In an interview with LBC, Farage remarked on the traditional expectations of attire in the Oval Office, stating, “If I turned up at the White House, I’d make sure I was wearing a suit, my shoes were cleaned.” He suggested that Zelenskyy did not demonstrate the necessary respect towards Trump, whom he described as “incredibly old-fashioned” regarding clothing norms.
Farage further elaborated on Trump’s preference for appropriate dressing, saying, “Lots of times Trump said ‘yeah, good shoes, great shoes.’” He implied that a more thoughtful approach from Zelenskyy regarding his attire could have fostered a more positive atmosphere during their meeting.
Zelenskyy’s military attire and the ongoing conflict
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zelenskyy has consistently donned military-style clothing to express solidarity with Ukrainian forces and to highlight the severity of the conflict to international audiences. During his recent visit, he was seen wearing a military-style black sweatshirt featuring the Ukrainian trident.
When questioned by Brian Glenn, the chief White House correspondent for the conservative network Real America’s Voice, about his lack of formal attire, Zelenskyy responded that he would wear a suit following the conclusion of the war. Despite this, Farage critiqued the Ukrainian leader’s choice, stating, “There are times to wear it. There are times not to.”
Farage, who has adopted a more skeptical stance towards British support for Ukraine, suggested that Zelenskyy had “overplayed his hand” and made a “very unwise” statement regarding the consequences of insufficient U.S. support.
“I wouldn’t expect the guest to be rude to me in my own house. Absolutely not. I would expect a guest to treat me with respect,”
Farage stated when asked about Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy. Nevertheless, he clarified that he was not defending the actions of either U.S. leader.
The reaction to Farage’s comments was swift, with members of Britain’s opposition Tory party seizing the opportunity to criticize his remarks. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel condemned his statements as “completely wrong,” labeling his language as “both morally wrong and diplomatically counterproductive.”
In a similar vein, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey expressed his disapproval, stating that Farage was “once again showing his true colors as Trump’s own spokesman here in Britain.” He praised Zelenskyy for displaying courage and integrity during the meeting, contrasting it with what he termed Farage’s “cowardly approach of licking Trump’s boots.”