Nate Vance, cousin of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, has harshly criticized both his relative and President Donald Trump for what he called their “belittling” and “disrespectful” treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a tense White House meeting last month.
Speaking to the BBC, Nate Vance — who volunteered with the Ukrainian military for three years after Russia's full-scale invasion — said the tone and conduct of the February Oval Office meeting were deeply disappointing.
“There’s a certain level of decorum that I expect from political leaders, especially in front of cameras. That was not it,” he said.
He previously described JD Vance and Trump as acting like “useful idiots” for Vladimir Putin, a comment first reported by The Guardian.
Inside the Oval Office Showdown
The much-publicized meeting, broadcast live, became heated.
Trump warned Zelensky that continued U.S. support depended on his willingness to accept a temporary ceasefire, accusing him of “gambling with World War Three.”
Vice President Vance echoed that sentiment, accusing Zelensky of being ungrateful and disrespectful by voicing concerns about the proposed deal in front of the press.
But Nate Vance rejected that characterization.
“Zelensky does a daily or nightly address where he thanks everyone who supports Ukraine,” he said. “He may not have shown enough deference to Donald Trump, but expecting that is unreasonable—especially since Trump and JD have been undermining him for three years.”
The meeting ended with Zelensky being abruptly asked to leave, and a planned joint news conference was canceled. Shortly after, the Trump administration suspended military aid, satellite intelligence, and reconnaissance support to Ukraine.
“A Silly Hill to Die On”
Nate Vance also dismissed the media criticism of Zelensky’s clothing — the Ukrainian leader wore his usual military-style attire instead of a formal suit.
“Everyone knows why he dresses that way—it’s symbolic. Who cares? It’s a silly hill to die on,” he said. “Elon Musk shows up in the Oval Office wearing a T-shirt and baseball cap all the time, and no one blinks.”
He characterized the entire meeting as a “setup”, telling Le Figaro it was “an ambush of absolute bad faith.” Despite being a lifelong Republican, Nate Vance said he felt compelled to speak out.
“This is an odd position for me to take. But I’m passionate about it, and I think we’re handling this issue the wrong way,” he said.
Nate Vance warned against growing isolationism in U.S. foreign policy, noting the historical consequences of such an approach.
“The last time we took an isolationist approach, we ended up with World War One and World War Two,” he said.
While the Oval Office encounter may have strained relations between Washington and Kyiv, Zelensky has since called the meeting “regrettable” and expressed hope for rebuilding the partnership.
Diplomatic efforts continue between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia to seek a negotiated end to the war.
