CSPAN - Sen. Graham Reacts to Trump-Zelensky Meeting
Aired: 2025-02-28
Duration: 05:51


=== Zelensky's Dilemma (05:14) ===

[00:00:01]  He wants to make a deal.
[00:00:02]  I don't know if you can make a deal.
[00:00:04]  The problem is, I've empowered you to be a tough guy.
[00:00:08]  And I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States.
[00:00:12]  And your people are very brave.
[00:00:13]  But you're either going to make a deal or we're out.
[00:00:16]  And if we're out, you'll fight it out.
[00:00:19]  I don't think it's going to be pretty, but you'll fight it out.
[00:00:23]  But you don't have the cards.
[00:00:24]  But once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position.
[00:00:28]  But you're not acting at all thankful.
[00:00:30]  And that's not a nice thing.
[00:00:32]  I'll be honest, that's not a nice thing.
[00:00:34]  All right.
[00:00:35]  I think we've seen enough.
[00:00:36]  What do you think?
[00:00:39]  This is going to be great television.
[00:00:41]  I will say that.
[00:00:43]  All right.
[00:00:44]  We'll see what we can do about putting it together.
[00:00:46]  Thank you.
[00:00:48]  Guys, let's go.
[00:00:51]  Guys, come on, let's go.
[00:00:53]  We'll see.
[00:00:54]  I don't know.
[00:00:55]  All right, guys.
[00:00:56]  Guys, come on.
[00:00:57]  Please.
[00:00:57]  Welcome to this.
[00:00:58]  Hey.
[00:00:59]  Come on.
[00:00:59]  Let's go.
[00:01:02]  Guys, come on.
[00:01:03]  Let's move.
[00:01:04]  Please.
[00:01:05]  Thank you.
[00:01:10]  Thank you.
[00:01:13]  Senator Graham!
[00:01:15]  Senator, the SACA is here!
[00:01:18]  He's coming, he's coming.
[00:01:19]  He's coming, he's coming.
[00:01:22]  Guys, guys, right now, you've got to move.
[00:01:25]  Sir, sir.
[00:01:27]  Keep the safe.
[00:01:29]  Come on, come on.
[00:01:31]  Go back.
[00:01:32]  Thank you.
[00:01:38]  He's coming.
[00:01:40]  Thank you.
[00:01:41]  Is this better?
[00:01:45]  So, what I think is complete, utter disaster.
[00:01:50]  I've been to Ukraine eight or nine times since the war started.
[00:01:55]  I understand the consequences of Putin's actions against Ukraine.
[00:02:00]  I appreciate what the Ukrainian people have done.
[00:02:03]  They fought like tigers.
[00:02:05]  At the end of the day, I was hoping that this minerals deal, which would be transformative in the relationship, would go over well.
[00:02:13]  I talked to Zelensky this morning.
[00:02:16]  Don't take the bait.
[00:02:18]  President Trump was in a very good mood last night.
[00:02:21]  Somebody asked me, Am I embarrassed about Trump?
[00:02:24]  I have never been more proud of the president.
[00:02:26]  I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country.
[00:02:31]  We want to be helpful.
[00:02:33]  What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful.
[00:02:36]  And I don't know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again.
[00:02:42]  I think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go in business with.
[00:02:47]  The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president was just over the top.
[00:02:53]  So I think the relationship between Ukraine and America is important, vitally important.
[00:03:01]  But can Zelensky do a deal with the United States after what I saw?
[00:03:06]  don't know.
[00:03:11]  What did he say to you about his interactions and whether he think he was shocked.
[00:03:17]  He was very upbeat.
[00:03:20]  I told Zelensky, we'll talk about security guarantees.
[00:03:24]  We'll talk about ceasefires and how the war ends.
[00:03:27]  This is a process.
[00:03:28]  You have a new relationship with America.
[00:03:31]  A $500 billion, half a trillion dollar deal that President Trump is proud of, that gives us an interest worth defending.
[00:03:39]  Let's talk about the positive.
[00:03:42]  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.
[00:04:03]  Senator Graham, thank you.
[00:04:04]  Do you think President Zelensky needs to resign to resume these peace talks?
[00:04:09]  He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.
[00:04:14]  Do you agree?
[00:04:17]  Thank you.
[00:04:31]  And more reactions are coming into the contentious Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Zelensky.
[00:04:36]  Illinois Democratic Senator and Foreign Relations Committee member Tammy Duckworth posted this: attacking our Democratic partner in service of an autocratic dictator, Trump, is a national disgrace.
[00:04:47]  Her colleague from New Mexico, Democrat Ben Ray Luhan, reacted this way: Shameful, embarrassing, and dangerous.
[00:04:54]  Trump and Vance are doing Putin's bidding right before our eyes.
[00:04:58]  And from the House, Connecticut Democrat Johanna Hayes released a lengthy statement that reads in part: Today's Oval Office meeting was deeply troubling.

=== Watch Trump's Address Live (00:51) ===

[00:05:06]  The United States must defend democracy over authoritarianism, and it is indefensible to side with Putin over our steadfast allies in Ukraine.
[00:05:20]  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.
[00:05:29]  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.
[00:05:38]  And then watch the Democratic response after the President's speech.
[00:05:41]  We'll also take your calls and get your reaction on social media.
[00:05:44]  Over on C-SPAN 2, you can also watch a simulcast of the evening's coverage, followed by a reaction from lawmakers live from Capitol Hill.