US Sen. Lindsey Graham Calls on Zelensky to Step Down After White House ‘Disaster’ with Trump

US Senator Lindsey Graham – a long-time supporter of American aid to Ukraine – called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step down after he got into a heated argument with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday. 

He described the talks as a “complete, utter disaster” to reporters immediately after Trump sent the Ukrainian leader home early. 

“Devastated. Everything I… have been working for to try to get a new relationship with the United States around a critical minerals deal beneficial to both of us was completely obliterated today,” Graham said outside of the White House.

Graham had met Zelensky on Friday morning alongside Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), where he had urged the Ukrainian leader to “stay on message” and “be grateful, be thankful.”

But the public dispute with Trump seemed to take things too far for the senator.

“Somebody asked me if I was proud of the president. I have never been more proud of the president,” Graham said. “What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again.”

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He said he believed that Americans might change their minds about wanting to “do business” with Ukraine, although an overwhelming majority of Americans have said they support the country in recent polls.

“I don’t think most Americans saw a guy that they would not want to go into business with,” the senator said. “The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted the president, was just over the top.”

Despite Graham’s longstanding relationship and show of support for Zelensky, he said he was not sure if the president should continue leading Ukraine. 

“I think the relationship between Ukraine and America is vitally important, but can Zelensky make a deal with the us after what I saw? I don’t know”

“He either needs to resign and send someone over we can do business with, or he needs to change.”