Horror Show: Trump and Vance Exploit Zelenskyy's Desperation in Oval Office Shakedown

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

NBC News

News, Politics

4.5 • 664 Ratings

🗓️ 2 March 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jen Psaki delves into the fiasco that transpired in the Oval Office on Friday, revealing an ominous sign that foreshadowed the spectacle of Donald Trump and JD Vance teaming up before the cameras to belittle and denigrate President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. She's joined by David Remnick of The New Yorker and Michael McFaul, the former US Ambassador to Russia, to discuss the administration's attempt exploit Zelenskyy on false pretenses in a confrontation that had all the hallmarks of an ambush. Next, Jen shows how the principles that Secretary Marco Rubio once claimed to believe as a Senator offer a clear rebuttal to the administration's current posture toward Russia. She's joined by Senator Mark Kelly, who reacts to the GOP's stunning about face on Ukraine just hours after meeting personally with President Zelenskyy. Finally, Jen delves into the ways Elon Musk is fleecing the Federal Government while claiming to be fighting "waste."

Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, I've been in my fair share of Oval Office meetings, but fortunately none quite like that one.
0:07.0	Most of the world has been reacting in horror to the way Trump and Vance berated Ukraine's president on Friday.
0:13.0	But not the Kremlin.
0:14.0	This morning, they said it all lines with their vision.
0:16.0	David Remnick is the editor-in-chief of the New Yorker and served as the Washington Post-Moscow
0:20.8	Bureau Chief. Michael McFull is the former U.S. ambassador to Russia, and both of them join me live
0:26.0	in just a moment. Plus, I'll ask Senator Mark Kelly about his Republican colleagues who are
0:30.4	twisting themselves into pretzels to defend Donald Trump in this moment, as one of them actually
0:35.4	decides to speak out.
0:45.9	Okay.
0:51.1	What we saw on Friday in the Oval Office is one of those things, even if you had a crazy week, you almost definitely heard about.
0:53.8	Even if you don't follow the news
0:55.1	closely, my bet is you heard something or saw something about what happened between Donald Trump,
1:00.7	J.D. Vance, and Vladimir Zelensky. Lots of people were appalled for a good reason. Vladimir Putin
1:06.3	was delighted, which tells you something, but it was something that the whole world kind of stopped
1:11.8	and watched. I mean, in the aftermath of that horror show, the UK and France felt the need to develop
1:16.4	their own peace plan with Ukraine that they will present to us. The front page of one of the biggest
1:21.7	British conservative newspapers called Trump a bully, who is no longer welcome for his state
1:26.8	visit. And here at home, protesters in Vermont
1:29.5	lined up to greet Vice President J.D. Vance, carrying signs with slogans like,
1:33.7	compassion is not transactional. Democracy, not fascism. And my personal favorite, Gowski and Russia,
1:40.7	J.D. That's creative. But hey, I guess at least someone was happy. Kremlin
	...

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