Marco Rubio Blasts Critics for Demonizing 'Peacemaker' Trump: 'It's Only a Bad Thing When It's Donald Trump'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio fiercely defended President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war in Ukraine during an interview on ABC News' "This Week". Calling Trump a "peacemaker," Rubio argued that criticism of the president's approach is unfair and rooted in bias against him.

"Shouldn't we at least try to see if there is a way to end this war in a way that's acceptable to both sides and is enduring and sustainable? How is that a bad thing?" Rubio questioned, clearly perplexed. He went on to add, "It's only a bad thing when it's Donald Trump trying to do it. When it's President Trump. It's absurd to me."

Rubio also dismissed allegations that Trump was attempting to appease Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin. He clarified that the administration’s outreach was simply about exploring peace talks, saying, "Are you guys willing to talk about peace? That’s all we’ve done."

His remarks come on the heels of a fiery White House meeting last week involving Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting reportedly devolved into a shouting match, with Trump asserting that Ukraine lacks the leverage to continue its fight against Russia and pushing for a negotiated settlement as the "best way forward."

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump accused Zelenskyy of showing disrespect to the U.S. during the meeting and declared, "I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don't want advantage, I want PEACE." He didn’t mince words, saying Zelenskyy could "come back when he is ready for Peace."

Zelenskyy was in Washington to discuss ending the war and to finalize a minerals agreement that would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals in return for the ongoing American support since Russia's 2022 invasion. However, instead of sealing the deal, Trump reportedly booted Zelenskyy from the White House after their contentious exchange.

This latest diplomatic drama underscores the high stakes and sharp divisions surrounding the war in Ukraine, with Trump’s critics accusing him of undermining U.S. interests while his supporters hail his efforts to broker peace.