Experts reveal how JD Vance played a key role in sparking White House showdown between Trump and Zelensky

According to experts, the clash stemmed from Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks toward Vice President JD Vance, which prompted Trump to intervene
UPDATED MAR 1, 2025
A tense confrontation unfolded at the White House between President Trump, JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
A tense confrontation unfolded at the White House between President Trump, JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House dustup between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky caused social media to erupt and people were divided with mixed opinions over the clash.

Meanwhile, experts have chimed in and have revealed what sparked the White House clash between Trump and Zelensky and why Vice President JD Vance was key to it.

Experts reveal what sparked WH dustup between Trump and Zelensky

White House officials informed Daily Mail that the WH dustup was not any kind of premeditated tag-team fight to humiliate Volodymyr Zelensky. A senior White House official said, "Zelensky should not have gone after JD."

The official added that Zelensky's jibes at Vance prompted President Trump to defend him and the situation quickly escalated, per the outlet.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Zelensky are meeting today to negotiate a preliminary agreement on sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources that Trump says will allow America to recoup aid provided to Kyiv while supporting Ukraine’s economy. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The dustup took place in a meeting where the Ukrainian President was on Trump's turf to try to gain security guarantees in a rare earth minerals deal that the president believes could protect by putting US business interests inside his country, Daily Mail reported.

A source familiar with the situation said, "This was not planned at all" and dismissed any claims of a premeditated ambush.

Meanwhile, Trump ally Sen Lindsey Graham believes that some kind of skirmish was coming. He told reporters, "I talked to Zelensky this morning: Don't take the bait."

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Zelensky are meeting today to negotiate a preliminary agreement on sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources that Trump says will allow America to recoup aid provided to Kyiv while supporting Ukraine’s economy. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Graham added, "President Trump was in a very good mood last night. Somebody asked, am I embarrassed about Trump? I have never been more proud of the president standing up for our country."

He added that the meeting was an "absolute, utter disaster."

Trump said at the end of the meeting, "This is going to be great television, I will say that."

Verbal jibe between Zelensky and JD Vance

During the meeting, Trump called on a US-based Polish reporter who asked him about the country's posture toward Russia. Trump labeled it a 'stupid' question and later on in an exchange that lasted 50 minutes, he called on the same reporter, whose questions made Vance say that Ukraine had been ungrateful for billions in US support.

Moreover, Vance blamed earlier Democratic administrations for failing to stop Russia. However, Zelensky attempted to shift the conversation back to Russian President Vladimir Putin by saying, "He killed people."

He went on to refer to Vance by his first name rather than his formal title and said, "What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you speaking about?"



 

The remark wasn't taken well by Vance who lectured Zelensky as the Ukrainian President told him that he failed to visit Ukraine as a senator.

Vance said, "I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country, Mr President. Mr President, 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."

Zelensky asked Vance, "Have you ever been to Ukraine that you see the problems we have?" as Vance reverted, "have been to – I've actually, I've actually watched and seen the stories, and I know what happens is you bring people. You bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr President."

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