In a scene straight out of a political roast, President Donald Trump and his loyal sidekick, JD Vance, delivered a masterclass in humiliation as they dismantled Ukrainian comedian-turned-politician Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Zelensky, who arrived with dreams of signing a grand agreement for U.S. security guarantees, while he is forced to repay his country’s debts with Ukraine’s rare earth minerals to America, and letting Trump play peacemaker with Putin, left with nothing but a bruised ego and a one-way ticket back to Kiev.
The meeting, which was supposed to be a diplomatic formality, quickly turned into a verbal slugfest. Trump, never one to mince words, kicked things off by reminding Zelensky exactly who was holding the cards and pointed out how weak of a leader he perceived him to be. JD Vance, ever the eager apprentice, chimed in with a biting remark, suggesting Zelensky should be thanking America for everything he had already received.
The pièce de résistance came when Trump, in a move that can only be described as peak condescension, patted Zelensky somewhat aggressively on the shoulder while speaking in a heightened voice. Both leaders attempted to talk over each other, creating a chaotic and tense atmosphere.
By the end of the meeting, Zelensky was shown the door without so much as a handshake, let alone a signed agreement. The media, of course, ate it up, with headlines like “Trump Schools Zelensky” and “Vance Delivers the Knockout Punch” dominating the news cycle.
So, what’s the takeaway from this Oval Office debacle? For Zelensky, it’s a harsh lesson in realpolitik: when you’re sitting across from Donald Trump, you better come with more than a smile and a sales pitch. And for Trump and Vance? Well, it’s just another day at the office—humiliating world leaders and flexing American dominance, one awkward meeting at a time.