Zelenskyy Shown the Door After Tense White House Clash with Trump, Vance

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the White House on Friday took an unexpected turn, ending abruptly after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Apparently, things got so tense that Trump showed Zelenskyy the door.

The meeting, intended to strengthen ties and discuss potential paths to ending the ongoing war with Russia, instead culminated in Zelenskyy leaving the White House earlier than planned. He was seen departing in his SUV after the disagreement.

Zelenskyy's trip to the U.S. came shortly after Trump touted that peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were nearing completion. The Trump administration had been pursuing a deal to grant the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources in exchange for continued support, which has been ongoing since the conflict began in 2022. However, the agreement wasn't signed, and a planned press conference was scrapped when Trump reportedly asked Zelenskyy to leave, according to a White House official.

Zelenskyy was scheduled to address the Hudson Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, but that event was also canceled. However, he is still expected to appear in an exclusive interview with Bret Baier on Fox News' "Special Report" at 6 p.m. ET.

The tension reportedly peaked in the final ten minutes of the White House meeting. Vance challenged Zelenskyy's approach, suggesting that seeking peace through U.S. diplomacy was the best course of action.

"Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media," Vance told Zelenskyy. "Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country."

Zelenskyy retorted, questioning Vance's understanding of the situation in Ukraine: "Have you've ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?"

Vance responded by saying that he had watched and seen the stories and that Zelenskyy brings people on a propaganda tour. He then asked if Zelenskyy disagreed that he's had problems bringing people into his military, and whether he thought it was respectful to come to the Oval Office to attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of his country.

Zelenskyy acknowledged that under war, everyone has problems, "even you," and suggested that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."

"Don't tell us what we're going to feel," Trump shot back at Zelenskyy.

Trump further accused Zelenskyy of "gambling with the lives of millions of people" and "gambling with World War III," deeming his actions "very disrespectful to this country."

Vance then questioned whether Zelenskyy had expressed gratitude during the meeting, referencing Zelenskyy's campaign appearance for the opposition in Pennsylvania the previous October.

Trump then said he empowered Zelenskyy to be a tough guy, before concluding the meeting. "The problem is I've empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States," Trump said. "And your people are very brave. But you're either going to make a deal or we're out. And if we're out, you'll fight it out. I don't think it's going to be pretty, but you'll fight it out. But you don't have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position. But you're not acting at all thankful. And that's not a nice thing. I'll be honest. That's not a nice thing."

Shortly after the meeting, Trump posted on Truth Social that Zelenskyy was "not ready for Peace," claiming the Ukrainian president felt U.S. involvement gave him an advantage in negotiations.

Zelenskyy responded with his own social media post, thanking U.S. officials for their support. "Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit," he posted to X. "Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that."