Democrats were left aghast at President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance’s disgraceful meltdown toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. In the meeting, Trump defended Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, attacked Zelenskyy, reiterated that Ukraine is losing the war, and much more.
Democratic lawmakers quickly responded, and Daily Kos has collected the comments from lawmakers, governors, former ambassadors, presidential candidates and the Democratic Party itself.
“What we just witnessed between Donald Trump, JD Vance, and President Zelenskyy inside the White House was an ambush. It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin,” Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said in a video post.
„It’s distressing to see that the president of the United States is walking away from our commitment in Ukraine, and doesn’t seem to understand what a murderous dictator Vladimir Putin is,“ Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said to reporters on Capitol Hill.
“The behavior of President Trump and Vice President Vance towards President Zelensky is shocking, disrespectful, and un-American,” said Rep. Diana Degette, Democrat from Colorado. “Ukraine is defending its sovereignty against an aggressive adversary, and the United States must stand with Ukraine against Putin’s illegal invasion. Unfortunately, the only person happy about how this played out is Putin.”
“This was horrific. This was a tragedy and a tragedy for American national security interests,” said former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on MSNBC after the news broke.
“[T]he United States should be thanking President Zelenskyy for Ukraine’s heroic stand on the frontlines of democracy against the Russian war criminal,” said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucusin a statement. “Former President Ronald Reagan and the late Senator John McCain are rolling over in their graves at the thought of an American president sullying America’s image by siding at the U.N. with dictators in Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and Nicaragua while disrespecting a true American ally—Ukraine.”
Some Democrats pointed out how history will judge Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who told reporters after the meeting, “I have never been more proud of the president,” and called Zelenskyy a bad “investment.”
“Today, I watched in horror as Trump and Vance shamefully echoed Kremlin propaganda to the leader of our ally, Ukraine,” Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, wrote on X. “Their disgraceful attacks on Zelenskyy directly advanced Putin’s dangerous agenda and greatly harmed America’s credibility on the world stage. To my colleagues across the aisle: Will you continue to stand silent while your party’s leadership aligns itself with Putin? History will remember where you stood.”
The Democratic Party replied to a White House post and replaced the American flag with a Russian flag, then crossed out the “America First” White House caption with “Putin First.”
“This is not diplomacy. This is closer to a tantrum. Trump and Vance berating our allies like [Zelenskyy] while cozying up to dictators like Putin, is a disgrace but not a surprise,” said Rep. LaMonica McIver, Democrat from New Jersey.
Former vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote on Bluesky:
“I have never witnessed such an embarrassing, pathetic, and shameful display from an American President and Vice President on the international stage,” said Rep. Jerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. “The war in Ukraine is a battle between dictatorship and democracy. Between freedom and oppression. Between good and evil. There can no longer be any doubt—Donald Trump has chosen evil. He has abandoned our friends, betrayed our values, and taken the side of a brutal, authoritarian regime over a democracy-loving people.”
“President Trump’s simpering fealty to Vladimir Putin and Russia is embarrassing and dangerous,” said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
“Illinois stands with Ukraine, and so should the White House.”
“Absolute admiration for President Zelenskyy. The guy has balls. He went into the Oval Office and stood up to Russia’s best negotiators,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.
“President Trump and VP Vance’s treatment of President Zelenskyy doesn’t represent us as a nation and is disrespectful to Ukraine, our ally that Russia invaded. U.S. foreign policy should be about democratic values—not this twisted protection racket that Trump wants to run,” said Michigan Sen. Gary Peters.
“What just happened in the Oval Office was an embarrassment,” wrote Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, who is co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. “We’re a fundamentally different country than a few weeks ago and unrecognizable to our allies. For over a century, the United States has stood for Democracy. Today, Donald Trump chose the side of dictators. The world order that was established after the Second World War is dead.”
“Trump and Vance are doing Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a post.
“Today President Trump shamefully supported violent dictator Vladimir Putin by humiliating the leader of our democratic ally, Ukraine, in the Oval Office,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island. “Before today, America’s foreign policy always stood on the side of freedom, but now by siding with Putin, Trump is leading us into a dark and dangerous direction.”
“Watching President Trump disgracefully use the Oval Office to bully one of our strongest allies in front of the press was appalling. Ukraine is our friend, Russia is our enemy—this should be painfully obvious to anyone in a position of power who supports democracy,” Rep. Linda Sánchez of California said in a statement.
“I condemn President Trump and Vice President Vance’s behavior—and call upon each to publicly apologize to President Zelenskyy and to our ally Ukraine,” wrote Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat from Pennsylvania. “Instead of demonstrating leadership, they acted like two schoolyard bullies.”
“President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine are fighting for their freedom and their lives, but Trump has chosen to turn his back on them in favor of cozying up to Russia,” wrote Rep. Paul Tonko of New York in a statement. “Today’s farce of a meeting is a betrayal of not only our ally, but of American values.”
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