Democrats saw an arrogant bully who berated their BFF and then sent him home without lunch.
The other side saw a master who is many moves ahead of his opponents on the chessboard of geopolitics.
Oceans of digital ink analysis on the Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Office firefight have left many more confused than enlightened.
Here’s one take: Former performing artist Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to advantage of an Oval Office meeting being aired internationally to slam the anti-DC foreign policy establishment peace plan being advanced by Team Trump.
Trump, immediately sensing this play, took advantage of the same platform to deliver a strong message to Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-Un and the European leadership. The message was “FAFO.” For those who think this was as temper tantrum by two thin-skinned egotists, Team Trump saw the stakes as being much higher than just the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
As he lit into Ukrainian leader Volodomyr Zelenskyy on Friday, President Donald Trump said: “You’re gambling with World War III. Your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning… You have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us.”
Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine had been going it alone in fighting Russia.
“You haven’t been alone. We gave you, through [our] stupid president, $350 billion. We gave you military equipment … If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would’ve been over in two weeks,” Trump said.
The American Free Press Has Returned!
Vice President JD Vance joined Trump in lambasting the Ukrainian: “With respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to 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 an end to this conflict.”
After showing Zelenskyy the door, Trump took to Truth Social, posting:
"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."
Democrats still stuck in wokeland were triggered:
"Trump and Vance are doing Putin's dirty work," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. "Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy."
"A hero and a coward are meeting in the Oval Office today. And when the meeting is over, the hero will return home to Ukraine," Sen. Adam Schiff of California posted on X.
"What we saw in the Oval Office today was beyond disgraceful," Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland posted on X. "Trump and Vance berating Zelenskyy — putting on a show of lies and misinformation that would make Putin blush — is an embarrassment for America and a betrayal of our allies. They're popping champagne in the Kremlin."
Illinois Democrat Rep. Mike Quigley, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said Trump "chose the side of dictators. What just happened in the Oval Office was one of the most embarrassing moments in American history. The world order that was established after the Second World War is dead."
Republicans, even those who had been cozy with Zelenskyy in the past, backed Trump and Vance:
“Somebody asked me, am I embarrassed about Trump. I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country. We want to be helpful. What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don't know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again," Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said. "The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president, was just over the top."
Zelenskyy "either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change," Graham added.
"No funding to Ukraine. This gross disrespect will not stand," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida posted on X. "Time for everyone in Congress to drop their Ukraine pins."
"Thanks to President Trump — the days of America being taken advantage of and disrespected are OVER," Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X.
"Zelenskyy could have left the White House today with a peace deal for his country, ending this conflict. Instead, he chose to disrespect our President and nation," Rep. Diane Harshbarger of Tennessee posted on X. "Thank you, President Trump and Vice President Vance, for standing up for our country!"
Rep. Victoria Spartz, an Indiana Republican who was born in Ukraine, said Zelenskyy is doing the Ukrainian people a "serious disservice" by insulting the American president.
"This is not a theater act but a real war!" she posted on X. "Zelensky is doing a serious disservice to the Ukrainian people insulting the American President and the American people — just to appease Europeans and increase his low polling in Ukraine after he failed miserably to defend his country."
Human Events editor Jack Posobiec spoke to White House reporter Brian Glenn, who said the tension in the room was obvious from the get-go. Glenn had, during the question period, asked Zelenskyy why he refused to wear a suit — to which Zelensky said he'd wear "costume" after the conclusion of the war.
.@brianglenntv to @JackPosobiec on Zelensky: "Why not put on a coat and tie and and honor and respect the highest level of office in our country?" pic.twitter.com/xBr5qXRxjW
— Human Events (@HumanEvents) February 28, 2025
.@JackPosobiec: "No one comes to the Oval Office and dictates terms." pic.twitter.com/RYvjrJUtW1
— Human Events (@HumanEvents) February 28, 2025
Trump, on Truth Social, re-posted the following analysis posted by Michael McCune:
Timely: Defund Fake News
