Zelenskyy Draws Praise From Trump For His Attire After Chaotic First Meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s choice of clothing once again became a subject of diplomatic intrigue in Washington — but this time, President Donald J. Trump offered unexpected approval.
Arriving at the White House on Monday, Zelenskyy wore a collared shirt with a casual jacket layered on top, a look that quickly drew attention in the press and behind the scenes.
“I picked up my ringing phone as I drove past an officer while driving my wife’s car in Georgetown. He pointed to have me pull over – I did. He was very professional. I had to dig for the registration card. Got a ticket and left. I didn’t know there was paparazzi,” Baier revealed in a post on X.
The choice of attire came after hours of quiet negotiations. Just earlier in the day, Zelenskyy appeared at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington in a plain t-shirt while meeting Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, according to Breitbart News. That decision immediately raised alarms inside the White House, where officials insisted the Ukrainian leader appear in more formal attire for his meeting with the American president.
The concern wasn’t unfounded. During a February visit to Washington, Zelenskyy arrived at the Oval Office in similarly casual clothing — an episode that quickly became a diplomatic embarrassment. Trump, alongside Vice President JD Vance, mocked the look, with Trump quipping, “He is all dressed up today,” and Vance scolding Zelenskyy for failing to show adequate gratitude for the “hundreds of billions in U.S. taxpayer money” sent to Kyiv. That meeting ended abruptly, with Trump and Vance sending the Ukrainian delegation home early.
Determined not to repeat that spectacle, the White House made its expectations clear: Zelenskyy should appear in traditional Western business attire. Yet speculation swirled that the Ukrainian president would once again lean into a “military-style” aesthetic. Ukrainian designer Elvira Gasanova confirmed as much, telling local media:
“Zelenskyy will be in a suit, but the style still remains in a military key with the same symbolism: he is the Head of State, which is at war.”
In the end, Zelenskyy compromised, leaving the embassy in a collared shirt and jacket that observers described as closer to business casual than statesmanlike. For Washington insiders, the look still fell short of standard diplomatic protocol. But for Trump, it was good enough.
Video from the Oval Office captured Zelenskyy remarking, “It’s the best I have,” to which Trump replied, “I don’t believe it. I love it.”
The lighthearted exchange stood in sharp contrast to Trump’s scathing rebuke of Zelenskyy six months earlier. Analysts viewed the shift as a symbolic breakthrough, reflecting Trump’s willingness to reward even small gestures of respect from foreign leaders.
Substantive issues still dominated the closed-door talks, including U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, potential European peacekeeping forces, and a tentative plan for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet directly with Zelenskyy in the coming weeks. But the wardrobe drama highlighted a deeper truth: appearances and respect matter in diplomacy, especially when dealing with a president who has made “America First” not just a slogan, but a governing principle.
For Zelenskyy, the meeting was about more than clothes. It was a chance to reset his image with Trump — and, at least for the moment, he walked away with something that had eluded him in past encounters: the president’s approval.