'Be Thankful!' Trump Berates Zelensky in Insane Oval Office Meltdown
The US president and his vice-president tag-teamed to attack, rebuke, and mock Ukraine's president, on live television, before asking him to leave the White House and threatening to cut off aid.
“President @realDonaldTrump invited me to the White House today for the signing of the critical minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine. I am honored to attend,” Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted Friday morning. “President Trump, the deal maker and peace maker, is on display.”
Less than two hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was kicked out of the White House, no deal was signed, and the White House pushed out social media clips boasting about it all.
Has there ever been an Oval Office meeting between a US president and a visiting foreign leader like the one today?
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance welcomed Zelensky to the Oval Office as the nations were set to sign an agreement granting American access to mineral rights in Ukraine. Things quickly derailed, however, after Vance and Zelensky escalated a ceremonial event into outright pandemonium in front of the press.
It began as Trump said the trio would take one more question. But then Vance chimed in.
The VP complained that previous administrations had “talked tough” on Putin, that the US tried “the pathway of Joe Biden of thumping our chest,” and that diplomacy would be the pathway to peace.
Zelensky asked Vance what kind of diplomacy he was talking about, given, for example, Russia’s 2014 invasion, or its violation of previous ceasefire agreements. Vance then unloaded, without addressing Zelensky’s concerns.
“Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance started.
“Have you ever been to Ukraine, that you say what problems we have?” Zelensky questioned, asking him to “come once.”
“I’ve actually - I've actually watched and seen the stories…” Vance began. Just have a look at the video yourself:
The chaos continued, as Trump and Vance pounced on Zelensky, saying he doesn’t “have the cards,” and accused him of campaigning for Kamala Harris [false] and never thanking the US for its massive support [false].
Despite all the tough talk, Trump would never speak to a rival nation the way he spoke to Zelensky, a US ally, here. The public castigation, for instance, paled in comparison to Trump’s appearance alongside Vladimir Putin in 2018 at the Helsinki Summit, where the US president deferred to Putin on whether Russia attempted to influence US elections.
Trump concluded the mayhem with a post to Truth Social:
“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
After the post, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Michael Waltz then reportedly informed Zelensky that he was being asked to leave and that negotiations were done for the day.
After the chaos, the Washington Post’s John Hudson, citing a senior administration official, reported: “the Trump administration is considering ending all ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine in response to Zelensky’s remarks in the Oval Office on Friday and his perceived intransigence in the peace process.”
Zelensky, for his part, kept his post-White House visit comments short. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people,” he tweeted. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
Russian officials cheered on the mayhem.
“The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is ‘gambling with WWIII,’” tweeted Deputy Chair of Russia’s Security Council and former President Dmitry Medvedev.
Sen. Graham – who just before the meeting was hailing Trump as a “deal maker and peace maker,” and taking photos with Zelensky and Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Chris Coons captioned “We stand with Ukraine” – said he has “NEVER been more proud of the President,” and boasted that “the deal is off.” Graham retweeted White House press accounts boosting his comments.
The cherry on top to the chaos was Voice of America media personality Brian Glenn (the boyfriend of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, or as he self-proclaims, the other half of “MAGA America’s favorite couple”) asking Zelensky why he doesn’t wear a suit. Several other visitors have arrived suitless for official White House meetings, including, famously, the US-backed Afghan mujahideen for their Oval Office picture with Ronald Reagan in 1983, and, more infamously and recently, shadow president Elon Musk at the Trump Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Vance giggled at Glenn’s question, while one-time Russia hawk Rubio (Trump’s forever “Liddle Marco”) slumped into his seat. “I will wear costume after this war will finish,” Zelensky said. “Maybe something like yours, maybe something better…maybe something cheaper."
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This was TRULY disgusting to watch. As an American, this makes me wildly ashamed.
“When a clown moves into the palace, he dose not become a king, but it is the palace that turns into a circus” (Turkish proverb)