March 1, 2025

MATT MARGOLIS: Stephen Miller Reveals What Triggered the Oval Office Showdown with Zelenskyy.

Miller explained that the confrontation stemmed from Zelenskyy’s failure to show proper appreciation for America’s substantial support of Ukraine. “The only reason that Zelenskyy has a country, that Zelenskyy is in power, is because of the United States,” Miller asserted.

During the Oval Office meeting, tension erupted when Zelenskyy suggested that America would “feel it in the future” if support for Ukraine waned, prompting Trump to erupt: “You don’t know that. You don’t know that. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”

Miller highlighted Americans’ economic sacrifices in the Ukraine conflict: “Americans have suffered economically funding this war now for years, American security has been degraded, our stockpiles depleted, our ability to project power in other regions of the world negatively affected to protect and defend Ukraine.”

The confrontation reached a boiling point when Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and Vance repeatedly demanded that the Ukrainian leader express gratitude.

“He couldn’t even say thank you. Just couldn’t say thank you. Thank you, America,” Miller said.

One of the most contentious moments came when Zelenskyy appeared to resist Trump’s calls for an immediate ceasefire. “He repeatedly rejected President Trump’s statement that we should pursue a ceasefire,” Miller noted. “How could you reject a ceasefire?”

“And, you know, he kept saying, Europe’s doing so much more than us,” Miller added. “Well, then what do you need us for?”

Precisely. Zelensky will meeting with King Charles on Sunday; perhaps that meeting will go a bit more smoothly.

Related: From the home office in Kyiv, VDH proffers the Top Ten “bad takeaways from the Zelenskyy blow-up:”

UPDATE: Time to write some cheques, Old Blighty:

UPDATE (4:14 EST):

Posted at 4:14 pm by Ed Driscoll