Representative Madison Cawthorn, a North Carolina Republican, said at a recent conference, captured on video that he believed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to be a “thug”, Newsweek reported. 

North Carolina news station WRAL obtained the video, where Cawthorn was heard saying “Remember that Zelensky is a thug”, and adding, “Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies”. 

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As per the news station, Cawthorn’s remarks were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, where Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote on Thursday, “Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R., N.C.) didn’t reflect Republican opinion when he called Mr Zelensky ‘a thug’ and Ukraine’s government ‘incredibly evil’ last Saturday at a town hall in Asheville, N.C.”. 

In a series of tweets, Cawthorn expressed his dislike for the Ukrainian head of state, saying “Propaganda is being used to entice America into another war”, and added, “I do not want Americans dying because emotions pushed us into a conflict”. 

He also provided a link to an article on Substack, which claimed Ukraine was directing misinformation at the West, and the nation’s ”

efforts are designed to bring the United States and NATO into the war”. 

Cawthorn added in another tweet, “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”. 

His comments come as the US faced the question of providing fighter planes to Ukraine to help in the war against Russia. While the US has snubbed this option, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi noted that a section of spending meant to fight COVID was being nixed in favour of a package more focused on providing aid to Ukraine. 

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After Cawthorn’s remarks were published by WRAL, his competition in the Republican primaries of 2022, State Senator Chuck Edwards said on Twitter, “Let’s be clear. The thug is Vladimir Putin. We must unite as a nation to pray for President Zelensky and the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and their freedom”, and added, “Anything less is counter to everything we stand for in America”.