White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller said on Fox News Friday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has finally met a Western leader in President Donald Trump who refuses to submit to international pressure.
Trump abruptly dismissed Zelenskyy from the White House following a heated debate over the U.S.’s lack of action against Vladimir Putin, resulting in the cancellation of their scheduled press conference. In an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Miller praised Trump’s refusal to succumb to what he described as undue veneration of Zelenskyy.
“Zelensky for the first time since this has begun finally met a Western leader willing to assert their own interests, the interests of their own country, and not bow down to and venerate this man as a messianic figure. Americans have watched with horror as Zelensky has been treated as a messiah. Our hearts all break for the suffering and loss and death. But you know what would be even worse? World War III. And today President Trump said we are not going to let this escalate into World War III,” Miller said.
Miller said that Zelenskyy’s conduct represented a significant breach of diplomatic decorum, particularly in the presence of U.S. leaders who have staunchly supported Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.