'We Created a Monster With Zelensky': White House Isn't Backing Down in Growing Rift
Axios has released a devastating report full of quotes from Trump admin officials which strongly suggests the growing rift with Zelensky is only about to worsen.
The Ukrainian leader is seen as having overstepped by the White House. A US administration official involved in peace negotiations with Russia bluntly told the publication that 'Zelensky is an actor who committed a common mistake of theater kids: He started to think he's the character he plays on TV.'
'Yes, he has been brave and stood up to Russia. But he would be six feet under if it wasn't for the millions we spent, and he needs to exit stage right with all the drama,' the unidentified official said. This strongly suggests that Trump is pursuing a full political transition in Ukraine at this point.
Another official, also involved in negotiations described that 'We created a monster with Zelensky,' and that 'these Trump-deranged Europeans who won't send troops are giving him terrible advice.'
Speaking of which, one Saturday headline has revealed the European Union is still seeking ways to seize part of Russa's frozen $280 billion in assets held abroad. So while Washington under Trump is trying to strike peace and compromise, the Europeans look content to try and sabotage what they already see as a 'bad deal' to end the war.
Yet another US official was quoted in Axios as reviewing that 'In the course of a week, Zelensky rebuffed President Trump's treasury secretary, his secretary of state and his vice president, all before moving on to personally insulting President Trump in the press.'
The unnamed official followed with, 'What did Zelensky think was going to happen?'
Meanwhile a mineral deal is said to be close, with some Friday night headlines claiming a final deal was 'hours' away – but Zelensky's office has said it's still mulling over the first draft. 'President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky,' National Security Advisor Mike Waltz underscored in Thursday comments.
Click here to read more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
7 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Trump says 'very wealthy' group to buy
TikTok AFP | Washington President Donald Trump said yesterday a group of buyers had been found for TikTok, which faces a looming ban in the United States due to its China ties, adding he could name the purchasers in two weeks. "We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way," Trump said in an interview on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. "Very wealthy people. It's a group of wealthy people," the president said, without revealing more except to say he would make their identities known "in about two weeks." The president also said he would likely need "China approval" for the sale, "and I think President Xi (Jinping) will probably do it." TikTok is owned by China-based internet company ByteDance. A federal law requiring TikTok's sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before Trump's inauguration on January 20. But the Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media and who has said he is fond of TikTok, put the ban on pause. In mid-June Trump extended a deadline for the popular video-sharing app by another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. Tech experts quickly described the TikTok kerfuffle as a symbol of the heated US-China tech rivalry. While Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, he reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform -- which boasts almost two billion global users -- after coming to believe it helped him win young voters' support in the November election. "I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok," Trump told NBC News in early May. "If it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension." Now after two extensions pushed the deadline to June 19, Trump has extended it for a third time. He said in May that a group of purchasers was ready to pay ByteDance "a lot of money" for TikTok's US operations. The previous month he said China would have agreed to a deal on the sale of TikTok if it were not for a dispute over Trump's tariffs on Beijing. ByteDance has confirmed talks with the US government, saying key matters needed to be resolved and that any deal would be "subject to approval under Chinese law."
Daily Tribune
7 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Trump says 'not going to stand' for Netanyahu's continued prosecution
President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States was "not going to stand" for the continued prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges. "The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Netanyahu responded on X, saying "thank you again" and promising that "together, we... will make the Middle East Great Again!". An Israeli court on Friday rejected Netanyahu's request to postpone giving testimony in his corruption trial, ruling that he had not provided adequate justification for his request. In one case, Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewelry and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favors. In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favorable coverage from two Israeli media outlets. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and has thanked Trump for his support in Israel's war with Iran, which saw a ceasefire agreement earlier this week. Trump on Wednesday sprung to Netanyahu's defense, describing the case against him as a "witch hunt." On Saturday, he described Netanyahu as a "War Hero" and said the case would distract the primeminister from negotiations withIran and with Hamas, the Gazabased Palestinian armed groupthat Israel is at war with. "This travesty of 'Justice' willinterfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations," said Trump,although it was unclear whatnegotiations he was referring towith regards to Iran. The US leader also likened Netanyahu's legal troubles to his ownbefore he took office for his second term. "It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT,very similar to the Witch Huntthat I was forced to endure," said Trump.
Daily Tribune
7 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Trump metal tariffs wreak havoc on US factory
In the sweltering US summer, metal containers decorated with snowmen and sleighs are taking shape -- but tempers are also rising as their manufacturer grapples with President Donald Trump's steep steel tariffs. At Independent Can's factory in Belcamp, Maryland northeast of Baltimore, CEO Rick Huether recounts how he started working at his family's business at age 14. Huether, now 73, says he is determined to keep his manufacturing company afloat for generations to come. But Trump's tariffs are complicating this task. 'We're living in chaos right now,' he told AFP. Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump imposed tariffs of 25 percent on imported steel and aluminum -- and then doubled the rate to 50 percent. This has weighed on operations at Independent Can, and Huether expects he eventually will have to raise prices. Not enough tinplate With the steady beat of presses, steel plates that have been coated with tin -- to prevent corrosion -- are turned into containers for cookies, dried fruit, coffee and milk powder at Huether's factory. But there is not enough of such American-made tinplate for companies like his. 'In the United States, we can only make about 25 percent of the tinplate that's required to do what we do,' in addition to what other manufacturers need, Huether said. 'Those all require us to buy in the neighborhood of 70 percent of our steel outside of the United States,' he added. While Huether is a proponent of growing the US manufacturing base, saying globalization has 'gone almost a little bit too far,' he expressed concern about Trump's methods. Trump has announced a stream of major tariffs only to later back off parts of them or postpone them, and also imposed duties on items the country does not produce. For now, Independent Can -- which employs nearly 400 people at four sites -- is ruling out any layoffs despite the current upheaval. But Huether said one of the company's plants in Iowa closed last year in part because of a previous increase in steel tariffs, during Trump's first presidential term. Price hikes With steel tariffs at 50 percent now, Huether expects he will ultimately have to raise his prices by more than 20 percent, given that tinplate represents a part of his production costs. Some buyers have already reduced their orders this year by 20 to 25 percent, over worries about the economy and about not having enough business themselves. Others now seem more inclined to buy American, but Huether expressed reservations over how long this trend might last, citing his experiences from the Covid-19 crisis. 'During the pandemic, we took everybody in. As China shut down and the ports were locked up, our business went up 50 percent,' he explained. But when the pandemic was over, customers turned back to purchasing from China, he said. 'Today if people want to come to us, we'll take them in,' he said, but added: 'We need to have a two-year contract.' Huether wants to believe that his company, which is almost a century old after being founded during the Great Depression, will weather the latest disruptions. 'I think that our business will survive,' he said, but added: 'It's trying to figure out what you're going to sell in the next six months.'
