The reality show of Trump TV hit peak cringe Friday morning when our bully-in-chief got into a shouting match with the feisty Ukrainian warrior Zelensky…in the Oval Office!
So much about Trump’s presidency has been chaotic and unprecedented that even something as crazy as a verbal altercation in the White House feels par for the course.
But this isn’t a TV show. The stakes are enormous. We’re talking about an ugly war between Russia and Ukraine that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
I’ve been an admirer of President Zelensky since the day he refused to flee for his safety during Russia’s ruthless invasion three years ago. Since then, I’ve seen him lead his nation against all odds in a defensive war against a brutal and predatory enemy, doing everything possible to garner allies and traveling the globe to obtain military and financial assistance– always wearing his casual warrior attire. His biggest donor country was the United States under President Biden, who was clearly on his side.
Things have obviously changed under President Trump, who has flipped the script by being hostile to Zelensky and friendly with the tyrant Putin, but the overall goal remains the same— reaching an end to an interminable war.
This is why I felt bad for Zelensky when he got baited into losing his cool in the Oval Office. As Peter Baker reported in The New York Times, “Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance castigated Mr. Zelensky for not being grateful enough for U.S. support in its war with Russia…Talking over the Ukrainian leader, Mr. Vance told Mr. Zelensky that it was ‘disrespectful’ for him to come to the Oval Office and make his case in front of the American news media and demanded that he thank Mr. Trump for his leadership. Mr. Trump jumped in and told the Ukrainian leader, ‘You’re not really in a good position right now’ and that ‘you’re gambling with World War III.'”
It was an ugly scene. Trump and Vance ganged up on the little guy and ambushed him. Given that they hold most of the cards, that was shameful and undignified.
But there’s a concept in life called reality and a related concept called keep your eye on the ball. Maybe Zelensky got so used to being received with deference and respect by world leaders, he lost sight of the new reality in the White House.
I wonder what went through Zelensky’s mind after Trump cancelled the press conference and the feisty Ukrainian leader departed the White House. I hope he realized this is a loss for Ukraine and a win for Russia. I don’t want to pretend to be an expert in diplomacy, but I got to believe there was a savvier way to approach the White House meeting.
We saw an example of that diplomatic tap dance earlier this month, when Jordan’s King Abdullah II had to smile and grit his teeth in the Oval Office while Trump pushed an idea the King hated: resettling millions of Palestinians out of Gaza to Jordan and Egypt.
Abdullah told Trump he could take in 2,000 Palestinian children from Gaza who are very sick or have cancer, but he waited until later to confirm to reporters his longstanding position against displacing millions of Palestinians from their homes. Integrity maintained, and Oval Office debacle avoided.
Zelensky doesn’t look the type to grit his teeth and fake a smile, and who can blame him? In the midst of an existential war to save his nation, he probably figured the niceties of diplomacy were a luxury.
That candor met a buzzkill on Friday morning.
Trump is a bully who loves to throw his weight around. That’s one reality. The other is that the world’s biggest ego wants to be the hero who finally ends the world’s ugliest war.
For Zelensky, however, the biggest reality is simply this: Right or wrong, Trump is the only leader who has the power to push a deal through.
Once Zelensky internalizes this reality, he can seek out another meeting with Trump and start working him for a better deal. He does have some leverage: The judges for the Nobel Peace Prize would look a lot more kindly at a peace agreement that had Zelensky’s full endorsement.
Zelensky’s post after his meeting suggests he’s ready for a better visit: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
But before he returns to the White House, Zelensky may want to visit a tailor. Knowing Trump, I have no doubt he’d be impressed with the new look. A nice suit and tie, after all, looks so much better on TV.
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