CSPAN - Sen. Graham Reacts to Trump-Zelensky Meeting
Aired: 2025-02-28
Duration: 06:58


=== President Zelensky's Dilemma (06:58) ===

[00:00:00]  The whole thing was a scam and he had to put up with that.
[00:00:03]  He was being accused of all that stuff.
[00:00:05]  All I can say is this.
[00:00:07]  He might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and he might have broken them with Biden.
[00:00:13]  He did, maybe.
[00:00:13]  Maybe he didn't.
[00:00:14]  I don't know what happened.
[00:00:15]  But he didn't break them with me.
[00:00:17]  He wants to make a deal.
[00:00:18]  I don't know if you can make a deal.
[00:00:20]  The problem is, I've empowered you to be a tough guy.
[00:00:25]  And I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States.
[00:00:28]  And your people are very brave.
[00:00:30]  But you're either going to make a deal or we're out.
[00:00:33]  And if we're out, you'll fight it out.
[00:00:36]  I don't think it's going to be pretty, but you'll fight it out.
[00:00:39]  But you don't have the cards.
[00:00:41]  But once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position.
[00:00:45]  But you're not acting at all thankful.
[00:00:47]  And that's not a nice thing.
[00:00:48]  I'll be honest, that's not a nice thing.
[00:00:50]  All right.
[00:00:51]  I think we've seen enough.
[00:00:53]  What do you think?
[00:00:55]  This is going to be great television.
[00:00:57]  I will say that.
[00:00:59]  All right.
[00:01:00]  We'll see what we can do about putting that together.
[00:01:03]  Thank you.
[00:01:05]  Guys, let's go.
[00:01:06]  Guys, come on, let's go.
[00:01:10]  We'll see.
[00:01:11]  I don't know.
[00:01:21]  Please. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[00:01:30]  Senator Graham, he's here!
[00:01:34]  He's coming, he's coming.
[00:01:36]  He's coming.
[00:01:39]  Guys, guys, right now, you got to move.
[00:01:42]  Sorry, sorry.
[00:01:51]  I'm not good finding you guys.
[00:01:55]  Is this better?
[00:01:58]  Yes, sir.
[00:02:00]  For you and for us.
[00:02:02]  So, what do I think?
[00:02:04]  Complete, utter disaster.
[00:02:07]  I've been to Ukraine eight or nine times since the war started.
[00:02:12]  I understand the consequences of Putin's actions against Ukraine.
[00:02:17]  I appreciate what the Ukrainian people have done.
[00:02:19]  They fought like tigers.
[00:02:21]  At the end of the day, I was hoping that this minerals deal, which would be transformative in the relationship, would go over well.
[00:02:30]  I talked to Zelensky this morning.
[00:02:32]  Don't take the bait.
[00:02:34]  President Trump was in a very good mood last night.
[00:02:37]  Somebody asked me, am I embarrassed about Trump?
[00:02:41]  I have never been more proud of the president.
[00:02:43]  I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country.
[00:02:48]  We want to be helpful.
[00:02:49]  What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful.
[00:02:53]  And I don't know if we could ever do business with Zelensky again.
[00:02:58]  I think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go in business with.
[00:03:03]  The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top.
[00:03:10]  So I think the relationship between Ukraine and America is important, vitally important.
[00:03:17]  But can Zelensky do a deal with the United States after what I saw?
[00:03:23]  What did he say to you about his interactions and whether he thinks he was shocked?
[00:03:34]  He was very upbeat.
[00:03:36]  I told Zelensky, we'll talk about security guarantees.
[00:03:40]  We'll talk about ceasefires and how the war ends.
[00:03:43]  This is a process.
[00:03:45]  You have a new relationship with America.
[00:03:48]  A $500 billion, half a trillion dollar deal that President Trump is proud of, that gives us an interest worth defending.
[00:03:56]  Let's talk about the positive, but he was terrible at Munich, Zelensky, and I think he has made it almost impossible to sell to the American people that he's a good investment.
[00:04:09]  So he is a good investment.
[00:04:13]  Senator Graham.
[00:04:14]  Senator Lander.
[00:04:15]  Senator Eddie.
[00:04:16]  Senator, one out of time.
[00:04:18]  One out of time.
[00:04:20]  Senator Graham, thank you.
[00:04:21]  Do you think President Zelensky needs to resign to resume these peace talks?
[00:04:25]  He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.
[00:04:31]  Do you have anything to do with the power?
[00:04:46]  Ukrainian President Zelensky sent this message after the Oval Office meeting.
[00:04:50]  Thank you, America.
[00:04:52]  Thank you for your support.
[00:04:53]  Thank you for this visit.
[00:04:55]  Thank you, POTUS, Congress, and the American people.
[00:04:58]  Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.
[00:05:03]  Meanwhile, members of Congress are reacting to the exchange between President Trump and Zelensky.
[00:05:09]  Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer posted, Trump and Vance are doing Putin's dirty work.
[00:05:14]  Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.
[00:05:18]  Representative Diana Harshbarger says the act displayed by Zelensky in the Oval Office was nothing short of a massive show of disrespect for the Trump administration and the American people.
[00:05:29]  Despite this, President Trump and Vice President Vance are holding the line and trying to end this conflict peacefully.
[00:05:36]  God bless them both.
[00:05:38]  And notice politics reporter Reese Gorman posted this statement from Congressman Don Bacon.
[00:05:43]  A bad day for America's foreign policy.
[00:05:45]  Ukraine wants independence, free markets, and rule of law.
[00:05:48]  It wants to be part of the West.
[00:05:50]  Russia hates us and our Western values.
[00:05:52]  We should be clear that we stand for freedom.
[00:06:00]  Tuesday night, watch C-SPAN's live coverage of President Trump's address to Congress, the first address of his second term, and less than two months since taking office.
[00:06:09]  C-SPAN's live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern with a preview of the evening from Capitol Hill, followed by the President's speech, which begins at 9 p.m. Eastern.
[00:06:18]  And then watch the Democratic response after the President's speech.
[00:06:21]  We'll also take your calls and get your reaction on social media.
[00:06:24]  Over on C-SPAN 2, you can also watch a simulcast of the evening's coverage, followed by reaction from lawmakers live from Capitol Hill.
[00:06:31]  Watch President Trump's address to Congress live Tuesday, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern on C-SPAN, our simulcast live on C-SPAN 2 or on C-SPAN Now, our free mobile video app.
[00:06:43]  Also online at c-SPAN.org.
[00:06:45]  C-SPAN, bringing you your democracy, unfiltered.
[00:06:54]  Democracy.
[00:06:55]  It isn't just an idea.
[00:06:57]  It's a process.