Is this what we’re doing? We’re bullying allies now?
Watching Donald Trump and JD Vance gang-up on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky last week was enough to give anyone second-hand embarrassment.
I don’t know about you, but I was ashamed. Even worse, I felt sorry that Zelensky was ambushed.
Not only was it a disgusting display, but it was a masterclass in bullying and cowardice.
The attacks weren’t just coming from Trump and Vance.
A right-wing journalist thought it was appropriate to ask the war-weary leader if he owned a suit because he didn’t appreciate his more dressed down attire. (More on that later).
Why Was Zelensky Meeting With Trump?
Zelensky was at the White House to sign a minerals deal.
If signed, the move would have allowed the US greater access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and possibly move that country closer to ending its three-year war with Russia.
Trump and Zelensky didn’t get to sign the deal.
That’s because following their testy exchange, where Trump and Vance attempted to dress Zelensky down in front of American reporters, White House Advisers promptly asked the Ukrainian president to leave.
I know Americans are tired of their taxpayer dollars being shipped overseas to fund wars, but Ukraine is an ally.
Russia is the enemy. We’d all be wise to remember that.
As I tuned in to the entire meeting, I noticed that Trump had been somewhat calm and courteous at the beginning of the meeting.
However, his attitude immediately shifted after Vance started berating Zelensky, asking the European leader if he had ever said thank you for the billions of dollars in aid his country received from the US.
Zelensky has shown his gratitude many times.
If anyone in the Trump administration were truly interested in learning the depth of his gratitude, they could because it’s well-documented.
Trump and Vance just wanted Zelensky to grovel.
They wanted him on his knees thanking the United States for all it’s done. And to be fair, the US has done a lot. It’s Given billions to Ukraine to fight Russia.
But, Zelensky has said thank you. Repeatedly.
The European leader even invited Vance to visit Ukraine so that he could see for himself what things are like on the ground. He declined, saying he’s not interested in a propaganda tour.
I wonder what how he feels about former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson’s 2024 trip to Moscow where he interviewed Putin in a soft questioning interview that felt more like an YouTube travel vlog.
Would he view that as a propaganda tour?
The Background Of This War
Here’s what everyone needs to remember: Russia invaded Ukraine. Not the other way around.
Ukraine is fighting for its survival and sovereignty against Vladimir Putin, a dictator who has no reservation using brutal tactics to bring his enemies in line.
It’s worth noting that Putin frequently violates international law to get his way.
Trump, long before his re-election in 2024, had expressed deep concerns with Ukraine, particularly as it relates to the scope and scale of aid that the US provides.
Firstly, he feels Ukraine is taking advantage of US support and should be making more concessions to Russia in exchange for peace.
Secondly, he feels the US should prioritise its own economic issues and not always have to serve as “the world’s policeman.”
I can’t say I disagree with him. America should be a priority. And if the world doesn’t want America’s opinions on a matter, then don’t ask this nation for so much help. Aid comes at a price.
But does Trump have that same energy for Israel?
Could you imagine Trump addressing Benjamin Netanyahu the way he did Zelensky? I couldn’t. He wouldn’t do that because he knows what the consequences would be.
According to the Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs, “the US’ spending on Israel’s military operations and related US operations in the region total at least $22.76 billion and counting.”
The Institute says that estimate is “conservative.”
How Much Has The US Given Ukraine?
Before leaving office, the Biden administration repeatedly voiced its support for Ukraine, providing billions in military and financial aid to help the country defend itself against Russia.
According to the Kiel Institute, a German-based think tank that tracks support going to the Ukraine, the US spent $119.7 billion on aid between January 2022 and December 2024.
The War Of Words Between Trump, Vance and Zelensky
During the fiery exchange, Zelensky stressed that the US doesn’t feel the impact of war due to a “nice ocean” but warned that it would feel those problems in the future.
Trump immediately fired back.
“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel,” he 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. You’re gambling with World War 3 and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to this country.”
What I found strange was Trump only seemed to have found such moxie after Vance tried to put Zelensky in his place.
In December 2024, Zelensky said some 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed.
According to USA for UNHCR, there are more than 3.7 million internally displaced people in Ukraine as of February 2025 and 6.9 million refugees have been recorded globally as of February 2025.
Pro-Ukraine Protests Spread Across The US
As a result of that heated exchange between Trump, Vance and Zelensky, pro-Ukraine protests are breaking out across the US.
Hundreds of protesters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston are showing their support for Ukraine and are upset about that clash in the Oval Office.
The demonstrations have gotten so disruptive, that Vance and his family were forced to move to an undisclosed location for their vacation at a planned ski resort in Vermont.
Isn’t that cute.
Vance gets to go on vacation. Zelensky gets to return to a war zone.
Several high-ranking Democrats have also spoken out against Trump’s and Vance’s behaviour.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democrats’ leader in the chamber took to X, to say, “Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”
Meantime, Minority Leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries said: “Today’s White Hosue 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.”
Where Were The Adults In The Room?
As far as I’m concerned, Vance was trying to show off for his boss. Point blank period.
He wants so badly to show Trump that he can be a tough guy that he just came off as an attack dog and even worse, a lap dog. But with an ally?
Try that with Putin or Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea.
I hate bullies. Even worse, I hate cowards. In that moment, no one had the guts to put an end to that interrogation.
While watching the news conference, I was waiting for somebody, anybody to show some respect and diplomacy. I was waiting for an adult to get everyone back on track.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat like a kid who had pooped his pants and didn’t want to move, fearful they would smell it. Just spineless.
Everyone in Trump’s camp is trying to stay on his good side to secure their political futures.
Days after that exchange with Zelensky, Rubio took to X to say, “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!”
Good boy. That’s our “Little Marco.”
Questions About Zelensky’s Attire
Conservative journalist, Brian Glenn, who happens to be the boyfriend of Majorie Taylor Greene (why am I not surprised), was the voice heard asking Zelensky why he wasn’t wearing a suit at the White House.
“Why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have a problem with you not respecting the dignity of the office,” he said.
Luckily, Zelensky, who was wearing a black pullover shirt with a Ukrainian trident symbol, wasn’t fazed by the question. And he shouldn’t have been.
I found Glenn’s question to be highly inappropriate and laughable to say the least.
The fact that he would mention the dignity of the office when a gold-framed mug shot of Trump hangs just outside the Oval Office is hilarious.
Many in Trump’s camp enjoy picking on the small guy.
To make a mockery of Zelensky’s outfit was so insulting to a man who is frequently on the frontline of a war in his country.
And why should Zelensky dress up, when the White House has unofficially sanctioned casual attire.
Elon Musk Set The Dress Code In Motion
Let’s not forget that Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, who is now in charge of DOGE, and has become one of Trump’s most trusted advisors, is notorious for parading around the Oval Office wearing his most casual tech-bro gear, complete with a Make America Great Again hat.
Even worse, he turned a dignified office into a romper room by bringing his four-year-old son along during a news conference.
I guess he couldn’t afford daycare.
When Musk’s son wasn’t perched atop his father’s shoulders or firing imaginary shots at the media, he was wiping boogers on the Resolute desk or informing Trump that he was not the president.
Given those facts, Glenn, and other Trump supporters, should have said zero about Zelensky’s attire.
The reality is, this is a man whose country is at war – a man who frequently visits the front-line to support his troops. I couldn’t care less what he wears at this time.
His response to Glenn was most appropriate given the circumstances.
“I will wear [a] costume after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours, maybe something better. Maybe something cheaper,” he said.
Since that White House meeting, Zelensky has met with other world leaders, including King Charles, who met with him at Sandringham on Sunday and showed civility and solidarity with the Ukranian president.
Trump and Vance tried to dress Zelensky down like a little boy.
My Final Thoughts On Zelensky
I respect the fact that Zelensky stood his ground, defending himself without getting nasty.
I’m also happy to see him being well-received on the world stage despite what transpired in America with Trump and Vance.
Just because an ally is in a tough spot and needs America’s assistance doesn’t mean that we should act nasty towards them.
We don’t know what the future holds. Many empires that were powerful and seemed indestructible have fallen, from the Roman Empire to the British Empire to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
America is a superpower today.
We don’t know what will happen in the years to come.
