JD Vance’s cousin slams Trump and Vance for ‘belittling’ treatment of Zelensky

A family rift has emerged in the U.S. political landscape as Nate Vance, cousin of Vice President JD Vance, condemned both him and President Donald Trump for their handling of a tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The February 28 meeting between Trump and Zelensky was supposed to address U.S. support for Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. Instead, it quickly became contentious, with Trump threatening to cut off aid unless Ukraine negotiated a deal with Russia. At one point, he warned Zelensky against “gambling with World War Three.”

Vice President JD Vance also clashed with the Ukrainian leader, accusing him of being “disrespectful” by expressing concerns in front of the media. He suggested that Zelensky had not shown enough gratitude for the billions of dollars in military aid provided by the U.S.

However, Nate Vance, who spent three years volunteering with Ukraine’s military, rejected that argument. “Zelensky does a daily or nightly address where he thanks everyone who supports Ukraine,” he told the BBC. He acknowledged that the Ukrainian leader may not have shown “enough deference to Donald Trump” but argued that such an expectation was unreasonable.

Fallout and halted military aid

The meeting ended on a sour note, with Zelensky reportedly being asked to leave the White House. A planned press conference was abruptly canceled, and shortly afterward, the Trump administration announced the suspension of military aid, satellite imagery, and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

The incident sparked further controversy when a reporter criticized Zelensky for not wearing a suit during the meeting. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian president has consistently worn military-style clothing as a show of solidarity with his soldiers.

Nate Vance dismissed the criticism as petty. “Everyone knows why he dresses that way—it’s symbolic. Who cares? It’s a silly hill to die on,” he said. He also pointed out the hypocrisy of allowing billionaire Elon Musk to visit the Oval Office in casual attire, often wearing a baseball cap and T-shirt.

A rare Republican critique

In a separate interview with Le Figaro, Nate Vance described his cousin JD Vance as “a good guy, intelligent,” but called the Oval Office meeting “an ambush of absolute bad faith.”

Despite being a lifelong Republican, he admitted that his stance put him in an unusual position. “I’ve been a Republican my whole life, so this is an odd position for me to take. But I’m passionate about it, and I think we’re handling this issue the wrong way.”

He also warned against the dangers of American isolationism. “The last time we took an isolationist approach, we ended up with World War One and World War Two,” he said.

Trump’s stance on Ukraine

Following the meeting, Zelensky described the discussion as “regrettable” and called for efforts to mend U.S.-Ukraine relations. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to emphasize his diplomatic efforts, recently claiming he was “doing very well with Russia” while admitting that dealing with Ukraine was proving to be “more difficult.”

As the war continues, the U.S. remains engaged in diplomatic efforts with both Ukraine and Russia, though Trump’s approach has drawn mixed reactions both at home and abroad.