It was political theatre of the surreal, the person who attempted to engineer the destruction of democracy shamelessly taunting the individual who is fighting to defend democracy.

A battle royal emerged in the White House last week as two world leaders — President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — had an acerbic fracas in the Oval Office, which the media captured with their cameras rolling.

Trump and Vance’s antics presented the nation to the rest of the world in a distressingly negative light, clearly demonstrating our government is no longer a reliable and trusted ally to progressive democracies throughout the world. As if to underscore that fact, Trump ordered a pause in military aid to Ukraine Monday night.

But it’s worth a reminder of what actually happened in the Oval Office.

Zelenskyy, who was in Washington to sign a key U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement, expressed his gratitude to Trump on the “first step toward real security guarantees” for Ukraine. But Zelenskyy also insisting there should be “no compromises” with the “killer” and “terrorist” Putin. Shortly after, Trump replied that Zelenskyy ought to be more “grateful” and that his “hatred” for Putin made it “tough to make a deal.”

Portraying himself as an arbiter of peace, Trump incorrectly and dishonestly stated his position, which is essentially to hand over Ukraine’s bargaining chips preemptively at the negotiating table, give Putin whatever he wants, and take him at his word that he won’t reinvade.

Chronically incoherent and verbally disjointed, President Trump perennially rambled, ranted, and repeated himself so that Vice President JD Vance adroitly injected himself into the discussion, disingenuously claiming Putin invaded Ukraine because then-President Joe Biden was weak and “the path to peace and prosperity is diplomacy.”

Locked, loaded, and armed with facts to thoroughly discredit Vance’s MAGA rhetoric, Zelenskyy accurately stated Putin first invaded Ukraine in 2014, occupied Crimea, and encroached on Ukrainian territory ever since, including during Trump’s first tenure as president. He also reminded all those in attendance that Putin’s brutal 2022 invasion was itself a violation of a previous ceasefire — demonstrating further skepticism and cynicism to the assumption that world leaders can take Putin’s promises for “peace” seriously.

Apparently, such indisputable truth and facts were too much for Vance who launched into attack mode, berating Zelenskyy as “disrespectful” for trying to litigate the matter (i.e., telling the truth with concrete facts) in front of the American media. Vance further derided the Ukrainian president, informing him that he should be grateful to Trump and not attack the administration that was “trying to prevent the destruction of your country.”

As the argument continued, Zelenskyy warned both men that, even though the U.S. has an ocean between itself and Europe, the country would “feel” the consequences of capitulating to Russia “in the future.” From that moment on, all hell broke loose.

Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War III” and attempted to humiliate him by stating, “you don’t have the cards.” Pretty arrogant for a man who dodged the draft supposedly due to bone spurs to lecture an individual whose name has become synonymous with wartime bravery.

Trump also told Zelenskyy that, “I’ve empowered you to be a tough guy and I don’t think you’d be a tough guy without the United States”. Trump abruptly ended the press conference, noting “this is going to be great television” as Vance confidently patted his boss on the arm. The Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Markarova, hung her head in her hands.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that Brian Glenn, a member of the president’s newly handpicked press pool, member of the right-wing Real America’s Voice, and bombastic congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s current boyfriend, asked Zelenskyy, “Why don’t you wear a suit? Do you own a suit?”

It is clear Zelenskyy understands the enormity of the threat, not only to his nation but also to the European continent. However, when he attempted to explain the threat’s severity during his White House meeting, Trump and Vance, rather than respond with empathy and understanding, became combative and irate. Obviously shocked by what they had witnessed, numerous world leaders immediately notified the Ukrainian president they would rally in support of Zelenskyy and offered him their unwavering support.

Many have expressed skepticism over Trump and Vance’s supposed naiveté as it pertains to Russian-Ukrainian relations. Rather, these policy experts argue Trump and Vance purposely ambushed Zelenskyy to establish an even wider path of appeasement toward further solidifying a friendship with Vladmir Putin and to accumulate certain, vital natural resources from Ukraine for American consumption.

This sounds like an accurate yet sad assessment of the situation.

Elwood Watson is a professor of history, Black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University. He is also an author and public speaker.