Vice President JD Vance, after 39 days in the shadow of more prominent figures, made headlines during a tense meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelensky in the Oval Office. Vance accused Zelensky of disrespecting Trump by failing to thank the U.S. for aid, escalating the confrontation. Despite Zelensky’s attempts to discuss Russia’s diplomatic violations, Vance redirected the conversation to criticize him. The exchange ended with Zelensky leaving the White House, canceling a mineral deal. Vance’s aggressive approach was a departure from previous interactions, highlighting his desire to assert his role in a high-stakes, media-savvy administration alongside Trump.
For 39 days, Vice President JD Vance operated largely under the shadows of two towering figures: President Trump and Elon Musk.
But that all changed on Friday.
With cameras capturing the moment, the vice president confronted President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, igniting a rarely seen heated exchange in the Oval Office. Mr. Vance repeatedly accused Mr. Zelensky of disrespecting Mr. Trump by failing to express gratitude for U.S. support.
“Do you believe it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States and criticize the administration that is working to save your country?” Mr. Vance shouted over Mr. Zelensky.
This marked Mr. Vance’s highest-profile moment since becoming Mr. Trump’s second-in-command, indicating that the 40-year-old former Ohio senator is keen on asserting his presence in one of the most rapidly evolving and combative administrations in recent history.
The extraordinary scene of a vice president inserting himself into a fraught diplomatic exchange in the Oval Office highlighted Mr. Vance’s media acumen. As a former bestselling author and CNN political contributor, he has shown a talent for capitalizing on moments that draw media attention.
On Friday, he seized the opportunity while Mr. Zelensky attempted to discuss how President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had violated previous diplomatic agreements. Rather than engage on that topic, Mr. Vance employed a classic debating tactic: he shifted the focus.
“You ought to be thanking the president for his efforts to end this conflict,” Mr. Vance asserted, his voice elevating.
Mr. Zelensky persisted, at one point inquiring if Mr. Vance had ever visited Ukraine to witness the situation firsthand. This seemed to infuriate the vice president further, prompting Mr. Zelensky to remark: “You believe that if you speak very loudly about the war, you —”
But this brought Mr. Trump into the mix, who was seated between them.
“He’s not speaking loudly,” the president interjected. It wasn’t long before Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky were shouting over each other, a confrontation that ultimately resulted in Mr. Zelensky’s abrupt departure from the White House — without the minerals agreement both men had anticipated finalizing.
Nevertheless, it was Mr. Vance, not Mr. Trump, who appeared to initiate the first strike on Friday, triggering the swift breakdown of diplomacy between the two nations.
This was a notable moment for Mr. Vance, who has generally not been the center of attention alongside Mr. Trump. That spotlight has mostly belonged to Mr. Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual and the driving force behind a rapid initiative to dismiss federal employees from across the government.
In Mr. Trump’s first cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the White House, the vice president found himself opposite Mr. Trump as the president heaped praise on Mr. Musk. Reporters directed their questions to Mr. Musk — not Mr. Vance — regarding his request for federal employees to justify their worth by responding to an email detailing their recent workweek.
However, there have been signs over the past six weeks that Mr. Vance was eager to reveal his own capacity for shock.
In mid-February, during a speech in Munich, Mr. Vance surprised European officials by asserting that they should end the ostracization of far-right parties across the continent. He argued that Germany should no longer shy away from collaborating with a far-right political party that has frequently utilized banned Nazi slogans and has been excluded from governance as a result.
“There’s no place for firewalls,” Mr. Vance stated at the Munich Security Conference, referring to the long-standing consensus among major German parties against working with the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.
He emphasized his message by meeting with Alice Weidel, the AfD’s candidate for chancellor in the recent elections.
The vice president has also utilized Mr. Trump’s preferred communication tool — social media — to garner attention.
About two weeks following the inauguration, Mr. Vance responded to several court rulings against the president’s executive orders with a sweeping commentary on executive authority.
“If a judge attempted to dictate to a general how to run a military operation, that would be illegal,” Mr. Vance remarked on X, the social media platform owned by Mr. Musk. “If a judge sought to command the attorney general on how to exercise her prosecutorial discretion, that’s likewise illegal. Judges aren’t permitted to control the legitimate powers of the executive.”
That declaration also made waves. Critics accused Mr. Vance of advocating for presidential powers that extend well beyond the limits set by the Constitution. Article III of the Constitution grants courts the authority to exercise judicial review over the actions of the executive and legislative branches of government.
Mr. Vance once dismissed Mr. Trump and his agenda. In 2016, he labeled Mr. Trump an “idiot” and expressed concerns regarding his dangerous rhetoric.
That perspective has shifted. In the Senate, Mr. Vance exerted considerable effort to promote Mr. Trump’s political agenda, partly by showering praise upon him. When he joined Mr. Trump as running mate in 2024, Mr. Vance was a loyal supporter on the campaign trail who intentionally avoided overshadowing the candidate.
In an interview with The New York Times in October, just prior to the election, Mr. Vance indicated that he understood Mr. Trump’s abrasive approach to politics, though he did not necessarily aim to emulate it.
“President Trump’s method is uniquely his,” he explained. “His style is his own. Do I think his style and approach serve as an essential correction to the issues plaguing American society? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean I intend to imitate Donald Trump.”
However, it appears he is also not aspiring to mirror the Republican and Democratic lawmakers who met with Mr. Zelensky shortly before the tumultuous Oval Office encounter on Friday. That meeting had gone positively, with several lawmakers from both parties sharing cheerful selfies with Mr. Zelensky, and many expecting to take part in a signing ceremony for the mineral deal set to take place in mere hours.
Instead, a black SUV hurriedly exited the White House grounds with Mr. Zelensky shortly after the meeting. Mr. Trump made it clear he wanted him gone via a social media update.
“He disrespected the United States of America in its revered Oval Office,” Mr. Trump declared. “He can return when he is prepared for peace.”