Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s biggest defenders on the Republican side, is flipping the script after President Donald Trump’s bombshell shouting match with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The senator called the meeting an “absolute, utter disaster,” claiming he was “devastated” by the public White House brawl. Hours before, Graham met with Zelensky, where things seemed to be smooth sailing.
Graham has been a continuous supporter of the war-ridden country and staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he once boldly suggested should be assassinated.
The Friday meeting between both presidents was intended to bury the hatchet and sign a minerals deal for the United States in exchange for war help. What happened, however, was a shouting match that cut Zelensky’s visit short—forgoing the agreement and following press conference.
“Everything I have been working for to try to get a new relationship with the United States around a critical minerals deal beneficial to both of us was completely obliterated today,” Graham told Fox News.
The two presidents have been going back and forth at each other over the past weeks, with Trump even going so far as to call Zelensky a “dictator.” When asked about the accusation, Trump played dumb with a reporter: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question.”
Graham’s change of heart led him to call for Zelensky’s resignation if he didn’t “change.”
“The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top,” said the South Carolina senator.
Graham seemed unsure if Ukraine could now make a deal with the United States, but said he was proud of the way both Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance handled the confrontation.
Trump claimed after the meeting that what he wanted was peace, and that Zelensky could come back when he was on the same page.
“We want to be helpful,“ Graham said. “What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful. And I don’t know if we could ever do business with Zelensky again.”
