What US lawmakers are saying about the White House clash between Trump and Zelenskyy
One more question I will respond to this. So look, for 4 years in the United States of America we had *** president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed *** significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe. Engaging in diplomacy, we tried the pathway of Joe Biden of thumping our chest and pretending that the President of the United States’ words mattered more than the President of the United States’ actions. What makes America *** good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing. Can I ask you? Sure, yeah, yeah, OK, so he occupied it, uh, our parts, big parts of Ukraine, parts of east and Crimea, uh, so he occupied it on 2014. So During *** lot of years, I’m not speaking about just Biden, but those times was Obama, then President Obama, then President Trump, then President Biden, now President Trump and God bless. Now President Trump will stop him, but during 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people, you know what the 2015. 2014, 2014 to 2014 so he was not here. Yeah, that’s exactly right, yes, but during 2014 till 2022. Yeah, what the situation the same that people have been dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him, you know that we had conversations with him, *** lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation, and we signed with him, me, like *** new president in 2019. I signed with him the deal. I signed with him, Macron and Merkel. We signed ceasefire, ceasefire. All of them told me that he will never go. We signed him with gas contract, gas contract, yes, but after that he broken the ceasefire. He killed our people and he didn’t exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners, but he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about. What what do you mean? I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country, Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media right now you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring it into this conflict to Ukraine that you say what problems we have. I have been to. I have actually, I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people, you bring them on *** propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems like bringing people in your military and do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to trying to prevent the destruction of your country? *** lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning. First of all, during the war. Every everybody has problems, even you, but you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future. God bless. You don’t know that. God bless. You’re not blessed. You’re not. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve *** problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. I’m not telling you because you’re in no position to dictate that. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good. To feel very good and very strong. You’re right now not in *** very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in *** very bad position, and he happens to be right about the very beginning of the war, not in *** good position. You don’t have the cards right now with us, you start having cards right now you don’t. You’re you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War II. You’re gambling with World War II. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s back to far more than *** lot of people said they should have. Have you said thank you once in this meeting you said thank you. You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October, offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country. Please, you think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, he’s not speaking loudly. He’s not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble. Wait *** minute. No, no, you’ve done *** lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble. I know you’re not winning. You’re not winning this. You have *** damn good chance of coming out OK because of our president. We are staying in our country staying strong from the very beginning of the war. We’ve been alone. We are thankful. I said thanks. You have *** cabinet. We gave you this stupid president $350 billion. We gave you military equipment and you men are brave, but they had to use our military if you didn’t have our military equipment, if you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would have been over in 2 weeks. In 3 days. I heard it from Putin in 3 days. This is. Maybe less in 2 weeks, of course he has. It’s going to be *** very hard thing to do business like this, you just say thank you. I said that they’re accepting American except that there are disagreements and let’s go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when you’re wrong. We know that you’re wrong, but you see, I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on. I think it’s very important. That’s why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cars. You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers. You’re running low on soldiers. It would be *** damn good thing. And then you tell us, I don’t want to cease fire. I don’t want to ceasefire. I want to go and I want this. Look, if you. Can get *** ceasefire right now. I tell you, you take it, so the bullets stop flying and your men stop causing getting killed. Of course we want to stop the war, but I’m saying you don’t want *** ceasefire to you. I want *** ceasefire guarantee because you’ll get *** ceasefire faster than *** agree. As our people about ceasefire, what they think. That wasn’t with me. That wasn’t with me. That was with. *** guy named Biden, who was not *** smart person. That was that was excuse me, that was with Obama who gave you sheets and I gave you javelins. I gave you the javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. In fact, the statement is Obama gave sheets and Trump gave javelins. You got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards with us you have the cards, but without us you don’t have any cards. be *** tough deal to make because the attitudes have to change. What breaks cease fires What are you saying? She’s asking what if Russia breaks the ceasefire? What if, what if anything? What if *** bomb drops on your head right now? OK, what if they broke it? I don’t know. They broke it with Biden because Biden, they didn’t respect him. They didn’t respect Obama. They respect me. Let me tell you, Putin went through *** hell of *** lot with me. He went through *** phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia. You ever hear of that deal? That was *** phony, that was *** phony Hunter Biden, Joe Biden scam, Hillary Clinton, shifty Adam Schiff. It was *** Democrat scam. And he had to go through that and he did go through it. We didn’t end up in *** war, and he went through it. He was accused of all that stuff. He had nothing to do with it. It came out of Hunter Biden’s bathroom. It came out of Hunter Biden’s bedroom. It was disgusting and then they said, 00, the laptop from hell was made by Russia, the 51 agents. The whole thing was *** scam, and he had to put up with that. He was being accused of all that stuff. All I can say is this he might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and he might have broken them with Biden. He did, maybe, maybe he didn’t. I don’t know what happened, but he didn’t break them with me. He wants to make *** deal. I don’t know if he can make *** deal. The problem is I’ve empowered you to be *** tough guy, and I don’t think you’d be *** tough guy without the United States, and your people are very brave. But you’re either gonna make *** deal or we’re out and if we’re out you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s gonna be pretty, but you’ll fight it out but you don’t have the cards but once we signed that deal, you’re in *** much better position, but you’re not acting at all thankful and that’s not *** nice thing. I’ll be honest, that’s not *** nice thing all right.
What US lawmakers are saying about the White House clash between Trump and Zelenskyy
Updated: 4:43 PM EST Feb 28, 2025
Key Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been stalwart supporters of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but the blowup between the Ukrainian leader and President Donald Trump is threatening to change that.Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to its mineral riches as Trump attempts to pressure Ukraine into a deal to end the war with Russia. Although support for Ukraine has waned among GOP congressional members in the three years since Russia invaded, key Republicans hoped the deal would revive American support for Kyiv.Instead, the fallout from a heated Oval Office exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance has many Republicans — even those who previously backed Ukraine — scolding Zelenskyy. For other GOP lawmakers who have long criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, the exchange was an opportunity to laud Trump for berating Ukraine’s leader. And for Democrats, it was proof that Trump is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Here’s what congressional lawmakers are saying as the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance:Republicans who have supported Ukraine in the pastSEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:Graham called the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” and said he’s “never been more proud” of Trump.“What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again.”SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO:“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER STEVE SCALISE, Louisiana:“President Trump is fighting for PEACE around the world and is putting America First as our best negotiator — he’s the only one to get Russia to the table to consider a serious and lasting peace agreement with Ukraine.”REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:“A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”REP. MIKE LAWLER, New York:“Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster — especially for Ukraine.”REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania:“It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today’s meeting regarding Ukraine’s future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.”Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aidSEN. JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri:“Remember: the U.S. Senate has repeatedly and for years voted BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine with no strings attached and with no true oversight. It’s time for some ACCOUNTABILITY.”SEN. MIKE LEE, Utah:“Thank you for standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first, President Trump and Vice President Vance!”SEN. ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas:“Not another penny.”REP. ANDY BIGGS, Arizona:”Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years.”Video below: Trump greets Zelenskyy at White HouseDemocrats, who as a party overwhelmingly support UkraineSENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, New York:“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, New York:“Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.”SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut:“My strong and passionate hope is that the talks can be resumed or restored, and this event won’t derail continued support.”“I have very strong hopes that the coalition we have in Congress — and it is a very strong bipartisan coalition — will be persuasive to the administration and others that we have a long-term national security interest in Ukraine prevailing over Putin’s brazen aggression.”SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota:“Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”SEN. CHRIS MURPHY, Connecticut:“It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin. That was an embarrassment. That was an abomination. What you watched was American power being destroyed in the world as everybody watches President Trump become a lapdog for a brutal dictator in Moscow.”
Key Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been stalwart supporters of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but the blowup between the Ukrainian leader and President Donald Trump is threatening to change that.
Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to its mineral riches as Trump attempts to pressure Ukraine into a deal to end the war with Russia. Although support for Ukraine has waned among GOP congressional members in the three years since Russia invaded, key Republicans hoped the deal would revive American support for Kyiv.
Instead, the fallout from a heated Oval Office exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance has many Republicans — even those who previously backed Ukraine — scolding Zelenskyy. For other GOP lawmakers who have long criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, the exchange was an opportunity to laud Trump for berating Ukraine’s leader. And for Democrats, it was proof that Trump is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Here’s what congressional lawmakers are saying as the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance:
Republicans who have supported Ukraine in the past
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:
Graham called the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” and said he’s “never been more proud” of Trump.
“What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again.”
SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO:
“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER STEVE SCALISE, Louisiana:
“President Trump is fighting for PEACE around the world and is putting America First as our best negotiator — he’s the only one to get Russia to the table to consider a serious and lasting peace agreement with Ukraine.”
REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:
“A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”
REP. MIKE LAWLER, New York:
“Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster — especially for Ukraine.”
REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania:
“It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today’s meeting regarding Ukraine’s future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.”
Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aid
SEN. JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri:
“Remember: the U.S. Senate has repeatedly and for years voted BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine with no strings attached and with no true oversight. It’s time for some ACCOUNTABILITY.”
SEN. MIKE LEE, Utah:
“Thank you for standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first, President Trump and Vice President Vance!”
SEN. ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas:
“Not another penny.”
REP. ANDY BIGGS, Arizona:
“Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years.”
Video below: Trump greets Zelenskyy at White House
Democrats, who as a party overwhelmingly support Ukraine
SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, New York:
“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, New York:
“Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.”
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut:
“My strong and passionate hope is that the talks can be resumed or restored, and this event won’t derail continued support.”
“I have very strong hopes that the coalition we have in Congress — and it is a very strong bipartisan coalition — will be persuasive to the administration and others that we have a long-term national security interest in Ukraine prevailing over Putin’s brazen aggression.”
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota:
“Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY, Connecticut:
“It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin. That was an embarrassment. That was an abomination. What you watched was American power being destroyed in the world as everybody watches President Trump become a lapdog for a brutal dictator in Moscow.”
