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Trump/Zelensky interview in the White House

(676 Posts)
Oreo Fri 28-Feb-25 18:20:19

I’m shocked to the core by the absolute rudeness shown to Zelensky by Trump and Vance this afternoon.I’ve never seen anything like it.
However much they disagreed with things Zelensky said it was a terrible thing to see them try and humiliate him on public tv.
How Zelensky kept calm in the face of it I don’t know.
Even for Trump this was a new low. It should have been talks in private.🤬

Elegran Mon 03-Mar-25 19:37:26

pascal30

That is how Trump reacts to anyone who stands up to him.. Therefore by acting as he did Zalensky made an enemy..

When Trump is your enemy, at least you know exactly where he stands. When he is your ally, he may turn against you at any moment.

silverlining48 Mon 03-Mar-25 19:51:20

Zelenskyy is not a fluent English speaker and should have had a translator with him. To have been attacked in this truly nasty way was unforgivable and must have been a total shock. He was able to keep calm showing dignity and restraint when he was given a chance to speak a few words.
To have enjoyed this display of bullying a guest in this unpleasant manner defeats me. It was planned and it was cruel but has shown to the rest if the world what Trump and his side kicks actually are.

Freya5 Mon 03-Mar-25 19:51:53

HousePlantQueen

mum2three

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene. Trump speaks his mind...no pussyfooting about with this man. How refreshing after Biden and Obama....sucking up and appeasing.

You like bullies? You enjoy seeing people humiliated?

Zelensky was aggressive, they listened to him, then when they went to talk he shouted over them, throwng insults. His body language said a lot. Trump look relaxed and seemed to be taking note of Zelensky. You want people to keep throwing money at you, for your war, you don't insult them, "no one helped" is a lie for a start. I suggest listening to breakdowns of the press conference by Independant sources,and you will see another side.

Casdon Mon 03-Mar-25 19:53:26

pascal30

That is how Trump reacts to anyone who stands up to him.. Therefore by acting as he did Zalensky made an enemy..

You can’t make an enemy of somebody who has already made you their enemy though. There is absolutely nothing Zelenskyy could have done on Friday that would have changed Trump viewing him, and publicly stating that’s what he was.

PoliticsNerd Mon 03-Mar-25 20:07:52

Casdon

I don’t think that’s how it was Pascal. Trump deliberately made Zelensky his enemy through both his narrative before they met last Friday, calling him a dictator. He then bkatantly set out to publicly humiliate him. Zelenskyy did not take any aggressive action against Trump , he just stood his ground.

Apparently the "advice" VZ was given and which Trump is complaining today that he didn't take was to sign the mineral agreement but not to mention the security agreement until later. If this is true then Zelenski is even more in the right.

Iam64 Mon 03-Mar-25 20:10:22

Freya5

HousePlantQueen

mum2three

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene. Trump speaks his mind...no pussyfooting about with this man. How refreshing after Biden and Obama....sucking up and appeasing.

You like bullies? You enjoy seeing people humiliated?

Zelensky was aggressive, they listened to him, then when they went to talk he shouted over them, throwng insults. His body language said a lot. Trump look relaxed and seemed to be taking note of Zelensky. You want people to keep throwing money at you, for your war, you don't insult them, "no one helped" is a lie for a start. I suggest listening to breakdowns of the press conference by Independant sources,and you will see another side.

I’m curious as to why you believe you can evaluate the awful scene in the Oval Office more effectively than the majority, Freya5?
Zelensky wasn’t aggressive. He was trying to respond to bullying inaccurate comments. English is his third language so he’d have had to work hard to translate and answer.

It’s astoundingly patronising of you to suggest the majority are wrong and need to ‘listen to breakdowns of the press conference by Independent sources ‘ to see another side. Independent ?//

pascal30 Mon 03-Mar-25 20:12:20

Casdon

pascal30

That is how Trump reacts to anyone who stands up to him.. Therefore by acting as he did Zalensky made an enemy..

You can’t make an enemy of somebody who has already made you their enemy though. There is absolutely nothing Zelenskyy could have done on Friday that would have changed Trump viewing him, and publicly stating that’s what he was.

Zalensky didn't need to do anything other than to stand up to Trump.. which he did magnificently.. neither of them were enemies before that..

Skodadoda Mon 03-Mar-25 20:12:38

woodenspoon

It was never going to go smoothly like Starmers meeting yesterday. Trump resents the billions the USA have paid out. It was bound to boil over.

He doesn’t mind paying out billions to Israel.

Madgran77 Mon 03-Mar-25 20:18:17

Zelensky was aggressive, they listened to him, then when they went to talk he shouted over them, throwng insults

I watched the entire press conference. Trump certainly interrupted and raised his voice to Zilensky. I did not see Zilensky shout over them; he tried to continue speaking but his voice was not particularly raised. How you can say they listened to him, with the amount of interrupting done by Trump and Vance in the later stages, I have no idea. And what insults did Zilensky throw at them? I didnt hear any!

Casdon Mon 03-Mar-25 20:22:02

pascal30

Casdon

pascal30

That is how Trump reacts to anyone who stands up to him.. Therefore by acting as he did Zalensky made an enemy..

You can’t make an enemy of somebody who has already made you their enemy though. There is absolutely nothing Zelenskyy could have done on Friday that would have changed Trump viewing him, and publicly stating that’s what he was.

Zalensky didn't need to do anything other than to stand up to Trump.. which he did magnificently.. neither of them were enemies before that..

That’s where our opinions differ, because I believe that to achieve his own goal Trump set out from the beginning to make Zelenskyy an enemy, not only to him, but to the American public. I think there is jealousy involved on Trump’s part.

PoliticsNerd Mon 03-Mar-25 20:25:51

This www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyepG3Kdp-Q is a really good interview. Times Radio has some very good journalism at the moment.

Eloethan Mon 03-Mar-25 20:32:30

As I've said before, I think that negotiations to try and end this war is the only way to go - 1 million people have been killed already. This just can't go on.

I am not a huge admirer of Zelensky but I absolutely loath Trump - and his, and Vance's, behaviour towards Zelensky in the televised meeting was disgusting to see. What a couple of vicious and ignorant bullies. Trump showed his true colours - a lot of smarmy preamble that he obviously didn't mean at all and then the revelation, in effect, that he doesn't give a toss about Ukraine or its people. He just wants to get a share of its natural resources and, if that is not agreed to, he will wash his hands of the whole situation. The US has always been OK with destabilising and entering into conflicts with small nations who they think can be easily overpowered (though they got that wrong with Vietnam). They are not so brave when it comes to larger nations with more economic power and sophisticated weaponry. If Pearl Harbour hadn't occurred, it is possible that they would never have participated in WWII.

And as woodenspoon says, he hasn't minded paying out for Israel, which already has a well equipped army and plenty of defensive and offensive weaponry. He just wants to run with the big boys.

Iam64 Mon 03-Mar-25 20:34:33

Elegran agreement fro me but I think wants to run in front of the big boys, to be the Lord of the flies

foxie48 Mon 03-Mar-25 20:57:27

I can't help thinking that the reason Trump dislikes Zelensky is because Z is courageous and Trump is a draft dodger who couldn't even manage doing his National Service. He's admitted making up a fake injury to avoid it. He's been disrespectful to army veterans, especially those who have been captured or injured on a number of occasions.

undines Mon 03-Mar-25 21:04:29

It was theatre
All three are actors
Not sure of the ultimate agenda, (which will probably bode no good for the world) but surely it's obvious it was staged?

Allira Mon 03-Mar-25 21:09:24

undines

It was theatre
All three are actors
Not sure of the ultimate agenda, (which will probably bode no good for the world) but surely it's obvious it was staged?

No.

Allsorts Mon 03-Mar-25 21:16:36

Freya, why post such things, we all saw and heard the interview, so don't know what you were watching. Zelenski, a brave man, Trump a dangerous one as he has no respect for anyone and surrounds himself by yes men that endorse his erratic, ignorant, volatile bullying nature. His best friend Putin will be suitable impressed.

Delila Mon 03-Mar-25 21:45:26

I wonder if Trump is surprised that his display of histrionics wasn’t massively impressive, as he’d thought it would be, that instead world opinion of him has plummeted to an all-time low. It was all a lot of bluster covering up the fact he had nothing at all to offer in terms of a peace agreement, let alone security guarantees. He simply wasted everyone’s time, and his intention to humiliate President Zelensky, aided by Vance, has massively backfired.

MayBee70 Tue 04-Mar-25 00:06:41

Delila

I wonder if Trump is surprised that his display of histrionics wasn’t massively impressive, as he’d thought it would be, that instead world opinion of him has plummeted to an all-time low. It was all a lot of bluster covering up the fact he had nothing at all to offer in terms of a peace agreement, let alone security guarantees. He simply wasted everyone’s time, and his intention to humiliate President Zelensky, aided by Vance, has massively backfired.

I think that, like a spoilt child, any attention to him is good. And the more controversial the better.

DrWatson Tue 04-Mar-25 02:12:53

For Mum2three - you LIKE Chump?? Says a lot for your judgement then, the guy is a racist, sexist, fraud, liar and conman. That whole show was a set-up, for his MAGA voters, he had the reporter start things off with that pre-planned "suit" question.

Chump - or Agent Orange as he's known in Moscow - is snuggling up to Putin, who is guilty of war crimes, and has a long history of bumping off any vaguely credible opponents.

Know anyone in the States? If so, ask them how Chump's campaign promise to instantly reduce grocery prices is getting on?! And trade tariffs will make things WORSE - as they did before.

If you want to see the real Chump, find (U-Tube) the Letterman i'view, 2015, when his oft-proclaimed "Love for Amurrcan workers" exposed as a sham, the great man opening packets of Chump's Exec Clothing range on air, asking "where were these made"? They turned out to come from Taiwan and Bangladesh, collapse of braggart balloon on air as it met expert comedy pin.

Teazel2 Tue 04-Mar-25 06:16:22

Iam64

Freya5

HousePlantQueen

mum2three

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene. Trump speaks his mind...no pussyfooting about with this man. How refreshing after Biden and Obama....sucking up and appeasing.

You like bullies? You enjoy seeing people humiliated?

Zelensky was aggressive, they listened to him, then when they went to talk he shouted over them, throwng insults. His body language said a lot. Trump look relaxed and seemed to be taking note of Zelensky. You want people to keep throwing money at you, for your war, you don't insult them, "no one helped" is a lie for a start. I suggest listening to breakdowns of the press conference by Independant sources,and you will see another side.

I’m curious as to why you believe you can evaluate the awful scene in the Oval Office more effectively than the majority, Freya5?
Zelensky wasn’t aggressive. He was trying to respond to bullying inaccurate comments. English is his third language so he’d have had to work hard to translate and answer.

It’s astoundingly patronising of you to suggest the majority are wrong and need to ‘listen to breakdowns of the press conference by Independent sources ‘ to see another side. Independent ?//

I agree with Freya. The majority can easily be wrong. Also please do not attack by using words such as astoundingly patronising.

Dickens Tue 04-Mar-25 06:36:26

Simon Tisdall in today's Guardian (Opinion piece) is alarming.

It’s not only about Donald Trump. It’s not just about saving Ukraine, or defeating Russia, or how to boost Europe’s security, or what to do about an America gone rogue. It’s about a world turned upside down – a dark, fretful, more dangerous place where treaties and laws are no longer respected, alliances are broken, trust is fungible, principles are negotiable and morality is a dirty word. It’s an ugly, disordered world of raw power, brute force, selfish arrogance, dodgy deals and brazen lies. It’s been coming for a while; the US president is its noisy harbinger.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/03/donald-trump-world-leaders-democracy?CMP=share_btn_url

Teazel2 Tue 04-Mar-25 07:11:15

undines

It was theatre
All three are actors
Not sure of the ultimate agenda, (which will probably bode no good for the world) but surely it's obvious it was staged?

Yes I agree.

Casdon Tue 04-Mar-25 07:17:05

Teazel2

Iam64

Freya5

HousePlantQueen

mum2three

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene. Trump speaks his mind...no pussyfooting about with this man. How refreshing after Biden and Obama....sucking up and appeasing.

You like bullies? You enjoy seeing people humiliated?

Zelensky was aggressive, they listened to him, then when they went to talk he shouted over them, throwng insults. His body language said a lot. Trump look relaxed and seemed to be taking note of Zelensky. You want people to keep throwing money at you, for your war, you don't insult them, "no one helped" is a lie for a start. I suggest listening to breakdowns of the press conference by Independant sources,and you will see another side.

I’m curious as to why you believe you can evaluate the awful scene in the Oval Office more effectively than the majority, Freya5?
Zelensky wasn’t aggressive. He was trying to respond to bullying inaccurate comments. English is his third language so he’d have had to work hard to translate and answer.

It’s astoundingly patronising of you to suggest the majority are wrong and need to ‘listen to breakdowns of the press conference by Independent sources ‘ to see another side. Independent ?//

I agree with Freya. The majority can easily be wrong. Also please do not attack by using words such as astoundingly patronising.

You are free to think what you want to, but it seems rather unlikely that the world media, the majority of American citizens, or indeed the majority of Gransnetters have misunderstood, while you have insight.

Teazel2 Tue 04-Mar-25 07:24:39

Seems to be lots of snarky attackers on these N&P threads.