Donald Trump was caught off guard when asked about his previous comment calling Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy a “dictator” during a press conference on February 27. Trump, alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had met to discuss US-UK relations and the war in Ukraine. A reporter asked Trump about his description of Zelenskyy as a dictator, prompting a long pause. Trump responded, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that,” before quickly moving on to the next question.
He later clarified, “We have a lot of respect, I have a lot of respect for him.”
Earlier, Trump had labeled Zelenskyy a dictator, citing his refusal to hold elections amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump’s remark raised eyebrows, especially as Zelenskyy was set to visit the White House later for discussions on US access to Ukrainian minerals.
