JD Vance's Cousin Slams Him Over Treatment of Zelensky During White House Meeting

In a recent critique, Nate Vance, cousin of US Vice-President JD Vance, condemned his relative and former President Donald Trump for their disrespectful behavior towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a February Oval Office meeting. Nate, who has volunteered with the Ukrainian military, highlighted the need for decorum in political discussions and defended Zelensky's expressions of gratitude, contrasting them with the criticisms leveled by Vance and Trump.

JD Vance's cousin, Nate Vance, has publicly criticized the actions of JD and former President Donald Trump for "belittling" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a heated White House meeting in February. Nate, who dedicated three years to volunteering with the Ukrainian military following Russia's invasion, voiced his discontent on the BBC's PM programme, emphasizing, "there's a certain level of decorum that I expect from political leaders, especially in front of cameras."

The criticism arises from an encounter where tensions escalated, with Trump threatening to withdraw support for Ukraine if a deal wasn't reached, and calling Zelensky "disrespectful" for allegedly failing to show gratitude for U.S. assistance. Nate pointedly noted that Zelensky consistently thanks his supporters, stating, "he does a daily or nightly address" acknowledging assistance for Ukraine.

Additionally, Nate remarked that while Zelensky may not have displayed "enough deference" to Trump, it is peculiar for Vance and Trump to demand it, given their opposition to his initiatives in recent years. During the contentious meeting, Zelensky was even asked to leave the White House, with a planned news conference subsequently cancelled. In the aftermath, military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv was halted by the Trump administration.

Nate dismissed criticisms focused on Zelensky's attire, arguing that his choice to wear military-style dress reflects solidarity with Ukrainian soldiers. He questioned why this mattered when high-profile individuals, like Elon Musk, often appear in casual clothing. He labeled the White House meeting as an “ambush of absolute bad faith,” admitting that while he has been a lifelong Republican, his passionate stance on this issue diverged from typical party lines.

Expressing concern for America’s isolationist tendencies, Nate noted that about 20% of Americans would feel "disheartened" by the meeting, warning that this approach could lead to greater global discord, recalling the precedents set before World Wars One and Two. In the wake of the exchange, Zelensky remarked that the situation was "regrettable" and emphasized the necessity to "make things right." Meanwhile, as diplomatic talks between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine unfold, the implications of the White House meeting remain present.