The dismayed democrats, the Republicans applaud after the White House said that Trump expelled Zelenskyyy
On Friday, Congress Republicans were almost unanimous in their praise by President Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance after them and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had an ardent exchange before living cameras in the oval office.
Addressing journalists from the White House alley just after, the Southern Caroline Republican Senator Lindsey Graham predicted that the cries match could end the United States in Zelenskyy, calling the meeting a “complete and total disaster”.
“Someone asked me, am I embarrassed by Trump. I have never been more proud of the president. I was very proud that JD Vance defended our country. We want to be useful. What I saw in the oval office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we can do business again with Zelenskyy, “said Graham, president of the Senate budget committee.”
President Donald Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2025.
Brian Snyder / Reuters
He suggested that Zelenskyy may have to consider resigning.
“He needs to resign and send someone we can do business with, he must change,” said Graham.
Senator Lindsey Graham talks to journalists outside the west wing of the White House, on February 28, 2025, in Washington.
Evan VUCCI / AP
“Thanks to President Trump – the days of America took advantage and disrespect are over,” said President Mike Johnson on X.
“Zelenskyy could have left the White House today with a peace agreement for his country, ending this conflict. Instead, he chose to lack respect for our president and our nation,” said representative Diane Harshbarger, R-Tenn. “”
Representative Victoria Spartz, a Republican of Indiana, born in Ukrainian, said that Zelenskyy was making the Ukrainian people a “bad service” by insulting the American president.
“It’s not an act of theater but a real war!” She posted on X. “Zelensky renders the Ukrainian people who insulting the American president and the American people – just to appease Europeans and increase their low poll in Ukraine after having failed miserably to defend her country.”
“No funding for Ukraine. This lack of gross respect will not remain,” published GOP representative Anna Paulina Luna de Florida on X. “Time for everyone in the Congress to drop his Ukrainian pins.”
“America First in Action”, published Le Républicain de first year by Texas Brandon Gill on X. “Thank you, @realdonaldtrump and @jdvance for having prioritized our people first and for the promotion of peace!”
President Donald Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy while US vice-president JD Vance reacted to the White House in Washington on February 28, 2025.
Brian Snyder / Reuters
The Democrats, on the other hand, were dismayed by shocking diplomatic performance, if not unprecedented.
“Trump and Vance do the dirty work of Putin,” said the head of the Senate minority Chuck Schumer. “The Democrats of the Senate will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.”
“A hero and a coward come together at the oval office today. And at the end of the meeting, the hero will return home to Ukraine,” said senator Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Posted on X.
“What we have seen in the oval office today was beyond shame,” published the representative Chris Van Hollen, D -MD., Posted on X. “Trump and Vance in reprimand Zelenskyy – making a demonstration of lies and disinformation that would make Putin blush – is an embarrassment for America and a concrete of our allies.
Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said: “Each time I met President Zelenskyy, he thanked the American people for our solid support. We owe us our thanks for managing a nation that fights on the front line of democracy – not the public reprimand that he received in the White Chamber.”
Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota said: “This press conference was choreographed for an audience of one and he sits in Moscow. Once, we fought the Tyrans. Today, Trump and Vance fold the knee of America. And that weakens us.”
“President Trump and his administration continue to embarrass America on the world scene,” said Democratic chief of Hakeem Jeffries in a statement. “The meeting of the White House today with the president of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to embed Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator.”
Vice-president JD Vance speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while President Donald Trump listens to the Oval White House office on February 28, 2025 in Washington.
MysTyslav Chernov / AP
A republican of the moderate chamber, the representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, a great Ukraine ally in Capitol Hill, joined the Democrats in the defense of Ukraine – although he has stopped criticizing the president or the vice -president.
“Some want to whiten the truth, but we cannot ignore the truth. Russia is at fault for this war,” posted Bacon on X.
Later, in a updated statement, he said: “A bad day for American foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and the rule of law. He wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We must be clear that we defend freedom.”
Democratic representative Mike Quigley, co -president of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and member of the Chamber of the Permanent Sixture Committee on Intelligence, said that Trump “had chosen the side of dictators.”
“What has just happened in the oval office was one of the most embarrassing moments in American history,” said Quigley, of Illinois. “The world order which was established after the Second World War is dead.”
Pennsylvania’s republican representative, Brian Fitzpatrick, said: “It was heartbreaking to attend the turn of events that took place during today’s meeting concerning the future of Ukraine. It is time to put aside understandable emotions and return to the negotiating table.
OPPENHEIM ONEN ABC News contributed to this report.
