Inside the Oval Office, the darts to continue mocking and humiliating Zelensky were ready to be thrown at the Ukrainian president with venomous intent. Journalist Brian Glenn, White House correspondent for Real America's Voice and a prominent figure in the increasingly dark world of MAGA (Make America Great Again), wasted no time in doing so. "Why aren't you wearing a suit? Do you have one?" Glenn rudely asked the invited president. "Something like this," the American insisted, showing off his pressed attire while looking disdainfully at Zelensky's sweater, adorned with the Ukrainian trident, a symbol of the freedom and resilience of the attacked country.
"Maybe something like yours. Yes. Or better. I don't know. Maybe cheaper," Zelensky replied very seriously and firmly, fully aware of the trap that was unfolding as he watched the scene being enjoyed with a mocking smile by the person sitting next to him: J.D. Vance, the Vice President of the United States, who just a few weeks ago was a senator from Ohio.
Then, indeed, the storm broke loose in the Oval Office, the kind that Donald Trump enjoys, the expert negotiator who loves stirring up trouble, muddying the waters, only to then reap the benefits after having confused, distracted, and wearied his opponent.
We are starting to recognize this move very well, those of us who follow him day by day. Fill everything with fireworks, with overlapping news stories, so that we do not notice the most relevant issues. Thus, this same week, while shocking us with an indecent video of Gaza turned into a resort, he made a sneaky move against the press, which he has referred to as "the enemy of the people" since his first victory in 2016.
The Trump Administration suddenly announced changes to the rules that have governed and organized the journalists covering the White House for over seven decades. These journalists were traditionally selected by the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA). However, from now on, prestigious agencies known for their rigor like AP will no longer be taking direct notes just meters away from the U.S. president; instead, small opinion media outlets or blogs aligned with Trumpism will be allowed in.
This is why the aforementioned Brian Glenn (who curiously had no better question to ask Zelensky given the current international situation) enjoyed a privileged spot in the Oval Office on Friday. The move is strategic: I make room for you, but you help me steer my press conferences wherever I please, without having to face uncomfortable questions.
Trump is playing with the wind at his back. And while he was placing his favorite pawns to cover the White House, Jeff Bezos, the third richest man in the world and owner of the Washington Post, was also lending a hand in his crusade. Bezos intervened in the newspaper's editorial line, restricting the type of articles that could be published. The Opinion section editor resigned, stating that the newspaper could not become a political tool for the interests of an individual. What happened is not trivial: it affects the newspaper of the Watergate scandal, the one whose slogan is "Democracy dies in darkness."
In a polarized era with pluralism under threat, Journalism (yes, with a capital "J") is more necessary than ever, as much as Trump and his allies may dislike it.
Furthermore, criticizing the clothing of a leader who did not flee when the Russians were at the gates of his capital and who has not abandoned his people is despicable, not to mention absurd, especially when we see how the so-called "co-president," billionaire Elon Musk, arrives at the current Administration's Cabinet meetings: in a cap and t-shirt.
And lastly, yes, among Volodymyr Zelensky's hangers, there is a suit hanging. We know this because, on the anniversary of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Komarov interviewed the Ukrainian leader, who then led him to the bunker where (at least at that time) the president sought refuge: a small underground room with a bathroom and a closet. In the closet, Zelensky showed the journalist his characteristic olive green clothing. At the back, there was a well-sealed garment bag. Komarov asked what it was, and Zelensky whispered, "It's the victory suit. I will only wear it when we win the war."
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