Following a tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared on America Reports Friday and urged Zelensky to apologize. Graham argued that Zelenskyy’s actions had weakened his standing with the American public and could ultimately harm Ukraine’s ability to secure U.S. support.
“I think they look at Trump and say, ‘I don’t want to get on his wrong side,’” Graham said. “I think what Zelenskyy did today was marginalize himself with the American people. Any time you do that, that emboldens your enemies.”
During the press conference, Trump criticized Zelenskyy for not showing enough gratitude for American aid while also suggesting that Ukraine needed to consider negotiations with Russia. Graham noted that Trump’s response to Zelenskyy’s remarks demonstrated strong leadership and reassured allies that the U.S. would not be disrespected in diplomatic engagements.
“I told President Trump, there are two ways to look at this—your interaction with Zelenskyy was maybe the best television I have ever seen. But it is deeper than that. The world is watching how Trump behaves and acts when he’s pressed,” Graham said. “I thought he stood up for America, that we are a good people and we want to help you, but we will be respected.”
Graham also suggested that Trump’s stance on foreign policy is likely increasing concerns among America’s adversaries. “I think Moscow is probably more afraid of Trump than ever,” he said. “I hope the Chinese and the Iranians are.”
Turning back to Ukraine, Graham warned that Zelenskyy’s approach during the meeting had made it more difficult for the U.S. to justify continued support. “To the Ukrainian people, America wants to help you. The way the meeting went today made it almost impossible to help you,” he concluded.
