The Collapse of Zelensky: Donald Trump, JD Vance Destroy Ukrainian Leader in Oval Office Beatdown

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance exposed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s faltering efforts to fight peace in Europe in a blockbuster Oval Office appearance Friday.

The joint coup de grâce laid bare Zelensky’s portrayal of Ukraine as a lone David fighting the Russian Goliath by itself, and that all it needs is an escalation of involvement from Europe and the United States to slay the Muscovite giant.

“You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump told Zelensky, adding “your country is in big trouble. You’re not winning… You have a damn good chance of coming out okay because of us.”

The press conference, during which Trump announced an agreement with Ukraine on rare earth elements that would allow an end to the war, went sideways after an irate Zelensky attempted to relitigate the agreement before the press.

Trump and Vance attacked Zelensky, a professional actor, for portraying that Ukraine had been fighting Russia without aid.

“You haven’t been alone. We gave you, through [our] stupid president, $350 billion. We gave you military equipment … If you didn’t have our military equipment, this war would’ve been over in two weeks,” Trump said.

Trump and Vance lambasted Zelensky for pleading for more aid while ignoring massive Western investment – most before Trump returned to the White House – that prolonged the war, costing over a million Ukrainian and Russian lives.

“You’re not acting at all thankful, and that’s not a nice thing,” Trump told Zelensky.

Vance joined Trump in delivering truths to Zelensky, who was clearly unaccustomed to hearing them.

“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,” Vance told an astonished Zelensky. “Right now you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”

Trump, after the meeting, announced on Truth Social that Zelensky was “not ready for Peace if America is involved,” essentially sending him home:

We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.

Trump and his top advisers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, began negotiating peace efforts in the early days of the administration.

Trump began the press conference by touting the minerals agreement reached by his administration before Zelensky’s theatrics.

“It’s a pathway to peace. It’s a pathway to getting something solved. I feel that as the head of this country that I have an obligation to do that… It’s too bad we got involved because there should’ve been no involvement because there should’ve been no war,” he said.

A flustered Zelensky, shaking his head at times, was unprepared to meet criticism after years being feted by the Biden White House and other European leaders. How his latest performance will be received back home, including by Ukraine’s oligarchs and generals, remains to be seen.

But one thing is certain – the press conference changed everything for Zelensky.

“I think we’ve seen enough, what do you think?” Trump asked, ending the press conference. “This is gonna be great television, I will say that.”

It might be remembered for the moment the curtain dropped on Zelensky.

Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye