'Reckless rhetoric and behavior': GOP lawmakers unleash on Trump over Zelenskyy meeting
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 28, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance's combative meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has apparently put the administration at odds with several Republicans in Congress.
The Daily Beast reported Friday that the meeting — which ended with Zelenskyy leaving the White House without signing the rare earth minerals agreement he had traveled to Washington to finalize — was alarming to swing district Republicans like Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), who both publicly called out the president's failure to assure a major U.S. ally that it could count on America's support.
"Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law,” said Bacon, who called the meeting "a bad day for America's foreign policy."
READ MORE: Pro-Putin state-run outlet was in Oval Office during Trump-Zelenskyy meeting: report
“It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values," he added. "We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”
Trump pushed Zelenskyy to accept "peace," though Zelenskyy insisted that he needed "guarantees" for its security amid its ongoing war with Russia. Vice President JD Vance interjected at one point, accusing Zelenskyy of not showing proper gratitude for the United States' past support and for "campaigning for the opposition" during the 2024 election. The White House eventually issued a statement saying that Zelenskyy was asked to leave and was not welcome to return.
"It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today’s meeting regarding Ukraine’s future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table," Fitzpatick said. "This can and will be fixed. A strong, sovereign Ukraine is essential for global stability in the face of Putin’s ongoing aggression."
One House Republican anonymously confided to the Beast that the meeting was "a missed opportunity for both Ukraine and the United States and a big win for Vladimir Putin." And another GOP lawmaker given anonymity to speak candidly told the outlet: "This kind of reckless rhetoric and behavior from Trump and Vance is only making the world more dangerous and unstable.”
READ MORE: 'I'm beyond disgusted': Trump and Vance slammed for berating Ukrainian president
Click here to read the Beast's full report (subscription required).
