Fireworks Erupt Between Trump, Zelensky During Oval Office Meeting

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance had a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a televised meeting inside the Oval Office on Friday.

At one moment, Trump pointed his finger directly at Zelenskyy, who sat beside him, and told him he should “be thankful” after the United States, under the Biden administration, sent tens of billions in financial aid and military equipment to Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

“It’s going to be a very hard thing to do business like this,” Trump remarked, right before Vance chimed in.

“You can say ‘thank you’ –” Vance started, only for Zelenskyy to jump in, stating that he had already expressed gratitude to “the American people” on multiple occasions for their support.

“You can accept that there are disagreements,” Vance went on. “And let’s go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when you’re wrong. We know you’re wrong.”

Trump then took the floor again.

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“But you see, I think it’s good for the American people to see what’s going on,” Trump said. “You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards. You’re buried there. Your people are dying. You’re running low on soldiers –” he continued while Zelenskyy tried to speak over him.

“No, listen,” Trump pressed. “Then you tell us, ‘I don’t want a cease fire. I don’t want a cease fire.’ Look — if you could get a cease-fire right now, I tell ya you’d take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.”

“Of course I want to stop the war,” Zelenskyy replied. “But I said to you with guarantees.”

“But you’re saying you don’t want a cease-fire,” Trump countered. “I want a cease-fire. Because you’ll get a cease-fire faster than you’ll get an agreement.”

At another point in the conversation, according to Fox News, Vance added: “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 bringing it, to bring it into this country.”

“Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?” Zelenskyy snapped back.

“I’ve actually watched and seen the stories, and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour,” Vance replied. “Mr. President. Do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into 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 prevent the destruction of your country?”

Zelenskyy responded that during wartime, “everybody has problems, even you,” adding that the United States would eventually “feel the war in the future.”

“You don’t know that,” Trump shot back, as Zelenskyy offered a “God bless you” to Trump.

“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump repeated.

“You are in no position to dictate that, remember that,” Trump said, while Zelenskyy insisted he was simply responding to Vance’s comments.

“I feel we’re going to feel very good, very strong,” Trump said. “You’re right now not in a very good position. You’ve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position.”

“You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards,” Trump emphasized, as Zelenskyy responded, “I’m not playing cards.”

“Yeah you’re playing cards,” Trump shot back. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.”