Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky a 'Thug'; Republican Placed Under Fire After Remarks

North Carolina Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn faced criticism on Thursday after he called Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky a "thug."

"Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug," Cawthorn said in a video obtained by WRAL. The Republican representative added that the government of Ukraine is "incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil." Cawthorn then noted that Zelensky's government has been "pushing" for woke ideologies.

According to Independent, former deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove, said in a WSJ op-ed that Cawthorn made his statement about Zelensky during an event in Asheville that occurred over the weekend. Rove added that he "believed" that the GOP representative's views "didn't reflect Republican opinion."

Madison Cawthorn Criticized Over Comments About Volodymyr Zelensky

Cawthorn's remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gathered the attention of several officials.

Former White House Director of Strategic Communications during Ex-President Donald Trump's tenure, Alyssa Farah Griffin, expressed her disappointment about what Cawthorn said.

"I try not to criticize Madison because he's my former intern & I think he genuinely doesn't know how little he knows. But this is disgraceful & not how a sitting lawmaker should speak about a U.S. ally," Griffin said in her tweet.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jamie Harrison called Cawthorn's statement "dim-witted," explaining that Zelensky is "fighting for freedom and the lives of his people."

Democratic Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego also slammed Cawthorn on Thursday, saying that it was "disturbing" that the Republican representative sits during their "classified briefings on Russia Ukraine war." Gallego then added that he is not sure how Cawthorn's statement is a "good idea."

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Chuck Edwards also clapped back on what Cawthorne said, underscoring that the "thug is Vladimir Putin" and not Volodymyr Zelensky.

"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," Edwards urged the public. The Senator then added that "anything less is counter to" what America stands for.

Despite the criticism faced by Cawthorn after his statements, Independent pointed out that White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to give comments about what the North Carolina Republican representative said about the Ukrainian president.

Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn Calls Vladimir Putin and Russia's Action 'Disgusting'

Following the backlash the Republican representative received online, Madison Cawthorn took to Twitter on Thursday to criticize the actions of Vladimir Putin and Russia did, per New York Post.

"The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting," Cawthorn said.

However, the Republicans still slammed the Zelensky, saying that the Ukrainian president should "NOT push" misinformation in America. According to New York Post, Cawthorn linked his statement to an article as instances of disinformation.

The Republican representative then said that he is "praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people." Madison Cawthorn also urged that the U.S. will "not be drawn" into conflict due to misinformation pushed by foreign leaders.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: White House Refuses To Comment On Madison Cawthorn's Comments Calling Zelenskyy A Thug - From The Hill