...Why it matters: The meeting angered Democrats, who were horrified by Trump and Vice President Vance's conduct. It offended some Republicans, with most of them reserving their ire for Zelensky.
- - - "He needs to either resign or change," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters outside the West Wing.
- - - Zelesnky "has made it almost impossible to sell to the American people that he's a good investment."
Other Republicans shared their concern about the long-term fallout of the short-tempered meeting.
- - - Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), in a text to Axios, said Friday was "a bad day for America's foreign policy."
- - - "Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom," he said.
- - - Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), in a post on X, called the meeting "a disaster -- especially for Ukraine," adding, "
Sadly, the only winner of today is Vladimir Putin. ...
[emphasis mine]
