Reactions on social media came pouring in Friday afternoon after President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were involved in a fiery exchange in the Oval Office that turned into a shouting match at points.
‘Finally we have a President who will speak the TRUTH and stand up against Washington’s endless wars. American taxpayers have been funding this war, it’s time to stop the killing and stop risking World War 3!’ GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X after the tense exchange that ultimately resulted in a canceled press conference on Friday.
‘Wow!’ Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X. ‘President Trump and JD Vance just told Zelenskyy exactly what millions of Americans have wanted to tell him, right to his face. Someone needed to say it.’
‘Zelensky owes America and the President an apology,’ former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita posted on X. ‘What an absolute dumba–.’
‘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,’ GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz, who was born in Ukraine, posted on X. ‘This is not a theater act but a real war!’
‘America First in action,’ GOP Congressman Brandon Gill posted on X. ‘Thank you, @realDonaldTrump and @JDVance for prioritizing our people first and for promoting peace!’
‘This full Zelensky interaction is INSANE: He is an emotionally incontinent idiot who dares to lecture and belittle the elected leaders of his total benefactor on OUR SOIL Trump and JD should send him packing with NOTHING,’ Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti posted on X. ‘Ukrainians should be ashamed to have a leader like this.’
‘Thank you President Trump and VP Vance for standing up for America,’ GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn posted on X.
‘I am so proud of our Commander-in-Chief,’ DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X. ‘Thank you President @RealDonaldTrump and @VP for standing up for America. We will not tolerate the political games and disrespect of America. America is back.’
Democrats on social media took a different tone and strongly criticized Trump over the exchange, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who posted on X that Trump and Vance ‘are doing Putin’s dirty work.’
The heated exchange in the Oval Office involved the three political leaders going back and forth about the ‘cards’ Ukraine is holding in the negotiations with Russia and whether Zelenskyy has been grateful to the United States during the process.
‘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,’ Vance told Zelenskyy. ‘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.’
Zelenskyy later said that under war, ‘everybody has problems, even you’ and that the U.S. would feel the war ‘in the future.’
‘You don’t know that,’ Trump responded as Zelenskyy said ‘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 continued.
At one point, Trump pointed at Zelenskyy and told him that what he’s doing is ‘very disrespectful’ to the United States.
After the exchange, it was announced that a scheduled press conference had been canceled, and Zelenskyy was seen briskly leaving the White House with no word on the mineral rights deal that had been expected to be signed on Friday.
‘We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,’ Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting.
‘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.’