This is not who we are
Trump's shameful Oval Office meeting with Zelensky is only his latest betrayal of American values
Trump’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was just the latest “in case of emergency, stroke POTUS” moment.
Cabinet members jumped into “dear leader” mode, blasting out what were clearly choreographed posts on X. Just in case the president started checking his notifications.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!”
“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for the United States. The American people will not stand for disrespect of our President, Oval Office, or our generous taxpayers. Peace is only accomplished through strength and our allies need to understand that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy gushed.
“I am so proud of our Commander-in-Chief. Thank you President @RealDonaldTrump and @VP for standing up for America. We will not tolerate the political games and disrespect of America. America is back,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cheered.
The Kremlineque antics didn’t stop there. Earlier in the day, reporter Andrew Feinberg of “The Independent” noted White House aides had initially permitted a member of the Russian state media outlet, TASS, to join the press pool for the Zelensky photo op, even in the midst of their Oval Office blockade of the AP and other reputable news organizations. The Russian “reporter” was later denied access, according to Feinberg.
Still, one sycophantic propaganda reporter managed to make his way into the meeting and pressed Zelensky on why he declined to wear a suit to the occasion. If only Zelensky had borrowed Elon Musk’s “Dark MAGA” hat.
Trump’s shameful repudiation of Zelensky was much more than an embarrassing moment in American diplomacy, on par with the president’s disgraceful embrace of Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. It was not just a televised excommunication of a key U.S. ally, fighting for its survival. This was a signal across the oceans that the United States of America, proud home of “The Greatest Generation” that stormed the beaches of Normandy to defeat the Nazis, was no longer in the business of saving the world. Instead, Trump will trade vague offers of security for the natural resources of vulnerable, weaker nations - rare earth minerals in the case of Ukraine.
Welcome “The Grifter Generation.”
This is not who we are.
As retired general Mark Hertling, who once commanded the U.S. Army in Europe, told me shortly after the West Wing debacle mercifully ended, “even on the battlefield, we never treated our enemies like that.”
It was “despicable,” a visibly emotional Hertling said on my podcast. Hertling on TJAS
Contrast the boorish, shakedown tactics of the Trump era with what this reporter observed during the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019. It’s the America I wish all Americans could see. Yes, the reenactments of the allied invasion of the beaches of Normandy were indeed stirring. Still, there were quieter moments like this one below. I witnessed a WW2 veteran telling his story to Americans holding up their phones to make sure such memories can endure.
This was when America was made great, with unthinkable sacrifice.
If only Trump’s treatment of Zelensky were the sole moment of his betrayal of American values since his return to the White House.
The U.S. commitment to the rule of law? Tarnished, of course, by the president’s pardons of January 6th insurrectionists.
A non-political military? The current purge of senior leaders at the Pentagon drew a stinging rebuke from five former Defense Secretaries, including Trump’s first SecDef, retired general James Mattis. The Secretaries blasted the firings as “partisan” and warned of the consequences of politicizing our armed forces.
How about the punishment of political opponents? The administration has attempted to reveal the identities of FBI agents who investigated both the Capitol attack and Trump’s alleged crimes that never made it to trial. The FBI has apparently given back to Trump the materials he once stored at Mar-a-Lago that were at the center of the classified documents case.
Trump’s rejection of Ukraine threatens to unravel a security structure that has brought decades of relative peace to Europe. It is a diplomatic coup for Moscow, where such prominent Russian figures as former president Dmitry Medvedev celebrated Trump’s performance.
“The insolent pig finally got a proper slap down in the Oval Office. And @realDonaldTrump is right: The Kiev regime is "gambling with WWIII," Medvedev posted on X.
Surely, Zelensky must have had some sense of what he was about to encounter at the White House on Friday. Trump, who’s been echoing Russian talking points for days, has attempted to extract favors from the Ukrainians before. He’s even trained top administration officials to parrot Putin’s propaganda. Vice President J.D. Vance was more than happy to falsely suggest that Zelensky has never thanked America for its support, something fact-checkers have established he’s done dozens of times.
“This is going to be great television,” Trump declared in the Oval Office during his meeting with Zelensky. Yes, it was, at the Kremlin.
Good thing Eisenhower saw America’s role in the world differently. Just think how the world sees us now.
I’m printing up stickers for post cards that read: VANCE=Hill Bully!
Pass along!
Disgusting behavior all around! The trap was set for Zelensky!
Support Ukraine 🇺🇦
THANKS JIM FOR ALL YOU ARE AND DO!
We are so ashamed of what transpired. This is not America.