Bill Maher was visibly outraged Friday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was berated at the White House by President Donald Trump for asking that a proposed peace deal between Ukraine and Russia include U.S.-backed assurances Russia gained’t violate it.
“Nice day to be an American,” Maher dejectedly joked on HBO’s “Real Time.”
“My first thought is he’s having this massive browbeating with a man who speaks English as a second language,” he continued, including, “So we’re all agreed that is deplorable. I’ve tried to not use the phrase deplorable as a lot as I can, however when it’s deplorable, it’s deplorable.”
World leaders, political pundits and the American people on social media certainly agreed, as Friday’s Oval Workplace blowout between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy lacked any semblance of decorum they may hope for the best U.S. workplace to aspire to.
Zelenskyy was set to signal an settlement between the U.S. and Ukraine relating to an exchange of his nation’s rare minerals for U.S. safety in opposition to Russia however seemed to be booted from the premises after Trump and Vance felt disrespected.
“You must be grateful,” Trump told the Ukrainian leader during their meeting.
They appeared to debate the battle cordially for greater than 40 minutes earlier than Zelenskyy said Russia violated a 2014 ceasefire settlement and that he desires the U.S. to ensure Ukraine’s safety if he does signal the minerals deal in change for a brand new push for peace.
“You’re in no place to dictate what we’re going to really feel,” Trump instructed Zelenskyy, including, “You’re proper not in an excellent place, you’ve allowed your self to be in a really dangerous place. … You don’t have the playing cards proper now. With us, you begin having playing cards.”
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“Actual Time” visitor Fareed Zakaria mentioned Friday it was “tragic” to see an American president “bully, berate” and “demean” a nation’s chief “who depends upon america for its survival” — earlier than giving a cheeky suggestion to Zelenskyy.
“The way in which to have gone in there,” Zakaria joked, “is first, you start by saying, ‘President Trump, you’re a genius. You might have utterly remodeled the panorama. I’ve with me the best order of benefit — Ukraine has by no means created a civilian honor this massive — for you.’”
“You might have a giant medal, put it on him, then say to him, ‘I sit up for working with you,’” Zakaria added.