"Why don't you wear a suit?"
Why MAGA Needs Andrew Tate and a War on Masculinity
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stepped into the Oval Office this week, he didn’t just face tense negotiations over Ukraine’s fight for survival—he also found himself in the middle of a sideshow act that perfectly encapsulates the state of modern conservative political theater.
Brian Glenn, a correspondent for the far-right media outlet Real America’s Voice, decided that rather than asking about military aid, strategic alliances, or the fate of thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children, his top priority was… Zelensky’s wardrobe.
Here’s how it went down:
GLENN: My second question for President Zelensky. Why don’t you wear a suit? Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re the highest level in this country’s office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit!?
ZELENSKY: Do you have problems?
GLENN: A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting this office.
ZELENSKY: I will wear a costume after this war is finished. Yes, maybe—
GLENN: Maybe something like this?
ZELENSKY: Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better, I don’t know.
And with that, Zelensky—who has spent the last three years leading a war-torn nation against an unprovoked Russian invasion—demonstrated more poise, resilience, and composure than any of the Real America’s Voice tough guys ever could.
Theatrics Over Substance
If this administration had any genuine concerns about foreign policy or national security, you wouldn’t have known it from watching that exchange. Instead, Trump, J.D. Vance, and others sat by, smirking as their media surrogate berated a wartime leader asking for assistance.
This wasn’t about suits, decorum, or "respecting the office." It was a staged moment of performative bullying—something this administration and its media enablers have mastered.
Meanwhile, the war that Zelensky came to discuss is very real. Russia isn’t just bombing Ukrainian cities; it is kidnapping Ukrainian children and subjecting captured POWs to horrifying acts of torture. These are war crimes, and yet Trump’s camp would rather fixate on dress codes.
The contrast between real strength and the illusion of strength couldn’t be starker.
The Politics of Toxic Masculinity
Comedian Patton Oswalt summed it up best:
“This scrum of pot-bellied, sunken-chested betas trying to bully an all-black clad badass Eastern European wasteland survivor while dressed like Men’s Wearhouse mannequins is peak cinema.”
And he’s right. This wasn’t about foreign policy—it was about posturing. The Trump administration thrives on an image of strength that is built on intimidation, dominance, and toxic masculinity. Every day, they lean into the performance of aggression over actual leadership.
And if you think this is all just bluster, ask yourself:
Why did the administration pressure Romania to release Andrew Tate and his brother?
Why are Elon Musk and Don Jr. vocal supporters of Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist accused of sex trafficking?
Why is Trump’s movement obsessed with "owning the libs" rather than crafting real policy solutions?
The answer is simple: they want to shape the next generation of young men into this version of masculinity—one that values power over principle, cruelty over compassion, and domination over decency.
It’s not an accident that they’re positioning Andrew Tate as a role model for young men. This is a coordinated effort to mold the modern far-right in the same way that authoritarian movements have done in the past. The Hitler Youth movement, for example, wasn’t just about military preparation—it was about training boys to embrace hate, aggression, and a blind loyalty to power.
This is what the Trump movement is doing today. They are crafting an identity for young men that prioritizes bullying over bravery, obedience over independent thought, and aggression over intelligence.
The Real Question: What Kind of America Do We Want?
This isn’t just about Zelensky, Trump, or Tate. It’s about the broader question of what kind of masculinity America values. Do we want men to be loud, performative, and obsessed with dominance? Or do we want them to be patient, resilient, empathetic, and strong through conviction?
Because let’s be clear—what Zelensky represents is strength. It’s the kind of strength that holds a country together in the face of devastation. The kind that leads with dignity rather than fear. And the fact that he refuses to put on a suit while his country is at war is not a sign of weakness—it’s a symbol of his commitment to something far greater than personal appearances.
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies continue their costume party, dressing up like “Real Americans” while selling out their own country’s values for cheap theater.
And that is the real embarrassment.
PODCAST EPISODE
Episode 1 - Why don’t you wear a suit?
Sources
Financial Times:
https://www.ft.com/content/52a17ca9-c253-4e92-852a-a8cb8592cb16
Ukrainian UN:
https://ukraine.un.org/en/264368-un-says-russia-continues-torture-execute-ukrainian-pows
The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/feb/27/what-is-andrew-tate-accused-of-and-why-has-he-travelled-to-the-us
This guy stood up to Vladimir Putin and his stormtroopers. Did Trump and his weenies really think they could intimidate him?