Ted Cruz’s border outfit mocked as he claims Zelensky’s t-shirt is political ‘theatre’

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz has been mocked for saying that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was engaged in political “theatre” because he wore a “sweatshirt and fatigues” during President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv.

The Recount noted that during a 2021 visit to the US-Mexico border in Mission, Texas, Mr Cruz himself chose to forego the usual suit and tie.

Mr Cruz was speaking on his podcast Verdict with Ted Cruz when he argued that Mr Biden’s entire visit to Ukraine on 20 February was a stunt and he claimed that the air sirens heard during Mr Biden’s appearance were fake.

Speaking of video footage showing Mr Biden and Mr Zelensky walking in Kyiv, Mr Cruz said, “the video should have ended with ‘I’m Joe Biden and I approve this message’ because it was a TV ad”.

“Zelensky is engaged in theatre as well. Look, Zelensky, before he was president, he was an actor. He was a professional actor on a popular sitcom in Ukraine. And now, he’s president,” he added. “He understands acting, and so it’s a little jarring seeing all of these images of him in a sweatshirt and fatigues next to Biden in his pressed suit. Whether in the Oval Office or in Ukraine, Zelensky is always in this outfit, and it is a costume. And he understands what he’s doing. It is performance.”

In 2021, the San Antonio Express-News reported that Mr Cruz voted in the Senate in his gym attire.

“If there was an expert on costumed theatrics it would be Ted Cruz,” one Twitter user said.

“Other than some photographs in their outdoor-man costumes, what did they accomplish?” another asked about the Senate trip to the border.

“Do you think their stylists pick out their clothes for the big photo shoot?” a third said.

“They seem to have very short memories and forget the internet is out there,” one account holder said.

“So many to choose from but Texas Castro is my favorite Ted Cruz Cosplay!” another Twitter user added.

“Ted throwing stones in a glass theatre? Isn’t Ted the one who fried bacon on his gun???” one Twitter user said.

Mr Cruz was heavily criticized for flying to Mexico as Texas was struck by a winter storm in 2021. He quickly returned a called the trip “a mistake,” according to The Texas Tribune.

“Ted Cruz goes to the border cosplaying as Che and is ferried around with other Republicans in a gunboat. But sure, tell more about costumes,” journalist Aaron Rupar wrote.

“Unlike @tedcruz, President Zelenskyy didn’t flee to Cancun at the first sign of hardship,” the Lincoln Project added.

“Zelensky stood up to Putin, roaming gangs of assassins, cruise missiles and showed the world courage and dignity. Donald Trump accused @tedcruz father of murdering JFK & called his wife ugly. Cruz thanked him,” conservative political strategist Stuart Stevens said.