Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn (N.C) called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug” and also said the country’s government is “evil” while speaking to constituents in North Carolina on Saturday.
“Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug,” Cawthorn said in a video posted by WRAL. “Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.”
Zelensky is currently leading his country’s resistance against the invading Russian army.
Cawthorn’s comments were first reported by Karl Rove, who served as former President George W. Bush’s deputy chief of staff, in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.
After the report, Cawthorn appeared to walk back his remarks saying: “The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting. But leaders, including Zelensky, should NOT push misinformation on America. I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign leaders pushing misinformation.”
A spokesperson for Cawthorn told Insider that the congressman “supports Ukraine and the Ukrainian President’s efforts to defend their country against Russian aggression, but does not want America drawn into another conflict through emotional manipulation.”
“The Congressman was expressing his displeasure at how foreign leaders, including Zelensky, had recently used false propaganda to entice America into becoming involved in an overseas conflict,” the spokesperson said, pointing to Cawthorn’s tweet.
