Trump, Vance dismiss Zelenskyy from WH

Zelenskyy ‘disrespectful’ in a heated back-and-forth with the President and Vice President in the Oval Office just moments earlier.

By Reagan Reese, Daily Caller – February 28, 2025

President Donald Trump dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from the White House on Friday after the pair got into a heated back-and-forth in the Oval Office just moments earlier, an administration official told the Caller.

While meeting in the Oval Office with the press present, Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance got into a heated argument after the Ukrainian president openly criticized the U.S. for not stopping Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the back-and-forth, Trump cut peace talks with Zelenskyy short, cancelling their press conference, and asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official told the Caller.

No minerals deal was signed Friday, the White House official said.

“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,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post shortly after the press exited the Oval Office.

“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,” Trump continued.

The back-and-forth started after Zelenskyy argued that the U.S. has failed to stop Putin, setting off the vice president, who called the Ukrainian president “disrespectful” and accused him of conducting “propaganda tours.”

“During 2015, nobody stopped [Putin]. He just occupied them too. He killed people,” Zelenskyy said. “[Throughout] 2014 and 2022, the situation [was] the same. People have been dying on the content line, nobody stopped him … He broke this 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, J.D., are you speaking about? What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” Vance said. “Mr. President, 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. 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 an end to this conflict … I have actually watched and seen the stories and I know what happens, you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President, do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think it’s disrespectful 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?”

A source familiar told the Daily Caller that the blow up in the Oval Office between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vance wasn’t pre-planned and that the VP had a genuine reaction to “Zelenskyy’s antics and insulting behavior.”

Trump then jumped in, eventually raising his voice, and told Zelenskyy that he was “disrespecting” the U.S. and had “no position” to be critical of the nation given that he is at war.

“We’re trying to solve a problem, don’t tell us what we’re going to feel,” Trump interjected. “Because you’re in no position to dictate that, remember that. You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel. We’re going to feel very good and very strong. You’re right now not in a very good position … You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you’ll have the cards. You’re playing cards. You’re gambling with a lot of lives and 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 this country. It’s backed you far more than a lot people say it should have.”

“Have you said ‘thank you,’ once?” Vance then asked, prompting Zelenskyy to claim he had. “No, in this entire meeting, have 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 to the president who’s trying to save your country.”

Zelenskyy then went on to accuse Vance of “speaking very loudly about the war” while arguing that Ukraine has “stayed strong” throughout the conflict. Trump then jumped in to remind Zelenskyy that his country persisted against Russia since 2022 because America had sent the nation its military equipment and spent billions of taxpayer dollars to help them fight the war.

Vance piled on and told Zelenskyy that they should “litigate [their] disagreements” instead of calling out the nation’s leaders in the Oval Office.

TOP PHOTO: President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dust it up in the Oval Office. | SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images