Ex-Trump loyalist Lev Parnas trolls Trump with a “one-arm water challenge”

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
A former die-hard supporter of President Donald Trump took to Twitter yesterday to mock him.
Lev Parnas, a central figure in the Trump–Ukraine scandal that led to the President’s impeachment, drank a glass of water using only one hand.
I nominate @josephabondy to do this one arm water challenge and want to see how many of you will join me to show our strength in numbers and unite America again. #onearmwaterchallenge #uniteamericaagain #levity #fathersdayfun #strengthinnumbers #DadsCare #dadsofticktock pic.twitter.com/w1i4wBIwT0
— Lev Parnas (@levparnas) June 21, 2020
The challenge is an Internet meme that mocks Trump for using two hands to gingerly drink from a glass of water last week. The president used 20 minutes of his campaign speech in Tulsa, OK to explain his awkward drinking style.
Parnas’ Twitter profile describes him as “under indictment” and belonging to the “post-cult of Trump.” Along with his associate Igor Fruman, the two Jewish, Ukrainian-born businessmen were arrested Oct. 9, 2019 at Dulles International Airport, and charged with trying to influence U.S.-Ukraine relations by directing foreign funds to U.S. politicians. Parnas later released a recording of a conversation with President Trump in which the President directs an aide to fire then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, whom the Kremlin opposed.

Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas Image by Getty
In the Tweet, which as of Monday afternoon has been viewed 47,000 times, he explains that his children nominated him to do this “very hard challenge.” Parnas lifts a glass of water to his lips–with one hand– sips, then puts it down. Children cheer off camera.
Parnas then urged his lawyer, Joseph Bondy, and other fathers, to join him in the challenge, “so we can unite America again.”
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