Never in the past few decades at least has an American president engaged in such an angry, scathing attack on a visiting foreign leader in the Oval Office.
It went well enough for the first 23 minutes, a polite if stiff meeting between an American president and a foreign leader. Then their differences started to be aired, unmistakably though not too contentiously. Then after 39 minutes, it really came off the rails.
The verbal brawl in the Oval Office on Friday between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine startled Washington, unnerved Europe, outraged Kyiv and delighted Moscow. By the end, the Ukrainian ambassador to Washington had her head in her hands in dismay.
But what really seemed to get under Mr. Trump’s skin during the discussion-turned-donnybrook were Mr. Zelensky’s harsh words about President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Mr. Trump, who had nothing but good things to say about the master of the Kremlin, seemed offended on his behalf and scolded Mr. Zelensky for hostility toward the man who had invaded his country.
“He hates us,” Mr. Zelensky told Mr. Trump, trying to explain that Mr. Putin was the aggressor, not the victim. “It’s not about me. He hates Ukrainians. He thinks we are not a nation.” While Mr. Trump last week falsely said that Ukraine “started” the war, Mr. Zelensky made clear that the president had that exactly wrong. “Putin began this war,” the Ukrainian leader said.
Mr. Trump did not concur, and proceeded to chide Mr. Zelensky for being mean. “It’s wonderful to speak badly about somebody else,” said Mr. Trump, scorn in his voice, “but I want to get it solved.”
Mr. Trump, who has been known to speak badly about plenty of somebody-elses, including Mr. Zelensky, whom he called a “dictator” just last week, offered no sympathy for the Ukrainian view.