The issue is not Zelensky's handlers but Zelensky himself who has been immeasurably appeased and emboldened that now he instinctively feels entitled to unlimited Western taxpayer support and truly believes he's this Churchillian figure commanding universal adoration. Lindsay Graham said that he spoke with Zelensky a day before and told him to stay on message and be grateful and respectful - but Zelensky clearly didn't listen.That’s because Rubio isn’t as stupid as he makes it seem. You have to remember, Rubio used to be a guy who put up a fight against Trump for the RNC primaries leading up to 2016. He’s also an ambitious guy who will do whatever it takes to get to his objectives, even if it meant using Trump and his MAGA movement as a vehicle. Probably would be a more formidable adversary against China, if he didn’t have to act like he’s in league with Trump and had real power.
Anyway, whoever Zelensky’s handlers are should be fired. He should have come into this meeting knowing he will most likely have to grovel or get on his knees to do the unthinkable. This is simply just how Trump is. This is the only way to have Trump hear him out with what he wants. If he was not up to the task, he shouldn’t have bothered with this and spared himself the humiliation.
There's only so much humiliation a man can take before they snap.
Regardless of what flowery words they wanna use, the mineral deal was a humiliation. Having Zelensky come in to praise how good the deal is for Ukraine is also, public humiliation.
I'm glad Zelensky stood up for himself.
In my opinion, any peace deal that would come out of this wouldn't last. Not when it's borne out of national humiliation and forced on Ukraine. The only way for a long-lasting peace is for both Ukrainians and Russians to get tired of fighting and coming to an agreement on terms that they both can swallow.
Yoiu do not force allies in line with humiliations, lies and insults … so either he has a strange understanding of putting an alliance together or serves purely egoistic goals.
Trump loves Fox News. He loves media that will not question him. CNN, NYT don't criticize him correctly. Watch the axios interview to see what happens when someone follows back with questions. CNN and NYT sanewash his ideas.I think a big factor here is simply Trump hates established media. He hates them and hate everything that feeds into it, from the Liberal elites, Neo-cons like Bolton, Atlanticists NAFOs to EU-appointees like Ursula. Trump says he and Putin both suffered at the accusations thrown at them, its quite clear that he regards any antagonism from established media as personal persecution.
Zelensky come in coddled by EU propaganda thinking its leverage, clearly not understanding how much this antagonizes Trump. Why would you ever say Trump is listening to Russian propaganda when the established media system tried to bury him with legal proceedings?
"Please listen to the people who spend 4 years trying to send you to jail"