The recent conduct of U.S. Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from an unexpected source—Vance’s own cousin.
In a public statement, Nate Vance condemned their actions during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing it as “belittling.”
Nate Vance, who has been actively involved as a volunteer with the Ukrainian military for three years, shared his dismay during an interview with the BBC.
He commented on the lack of decorum displayed in the Oval Office, suggesting it was not fitting for leaders to behave this way, especially in front of the media.
The meeting in question took place this past February and was broadcast live. It became heated quickly, with Trump issuing a stern warning that support from the U.S. would be withdrawn if a deal could not be reached. He cautioned Zelensky against what he termed as “gambling with World War Three.” Concurrently, JD Vance accused Zelensky of a “disrespectful” approach by voicing his concerns openly during the meeting and implied that the Ukrainian leader was not adequately grateful for the aid received from the U.S.
Nate Vance countered this claim, highlighting Zelensky’s regular expressions of gratitude through daily or nightly addresses where he thanks countries providing support.
He noted that expecting Zelensky to show deference was unreasonable, particularly since both Trump and JD Vance had been opposing his efforts over the last three years.
The situation further deteriorated, resulting in Zelensky being ushered out of the White House and the cancellation of a planned press conference. In a following move, the Trump administration paused military aid and restricted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
Additional controversy arose when Zelensky’s attire, a military-style outfit worn in a show of solidarity, was questioned by a reporter for not being formal enough for the meeting. Nate Vance dismissed these remarks as superficial, saying it was just a “silly hill to die on” and compared it to Elon Musk’s casual appearances at the Oval Office, often wearing a baseball cap and T-shirt.
