JD Vance completely silent at Donald Trump meeting with Zelensky: 'Smart a**'

Today’s meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House felt very different compared to their tense encounter in Washington six months ago.

One major change was the presence and silence of Vice President JD Vance. Unlike in February, when he openly scolded Zelensky for not showing enough gratitude to the U.S., this time Vance stayed completely quiet during the Q&A session. His silence stood out because in the previous summit, his sharp remarks toward Zelensky sparked a heated exchange that ended with no deal being signed.

Social media users quickly noticed. One person on X commented: “At least JD Vance didn’t open his mouth for a smart comment this time.” Another pointed out that the meeting went much more smoothly compared to February, writing: “See how much smoother things go when JD Vance stays silent.”

Ahead of the summit, a Ukrainian official even suggested they hoped Vance would sit this one out, given how much he “provoked” Zelensky last time.

This time, the atmosphere was noticeably more diplomatic. Zelensky arrived with a letter for the First Lady and made a point of repeatedly thanking Trump four times in quick succession clearly mindful of earlier criticism about not expressing enough appreciation. He told Trump: “Thank you for your invitation, and thank you very much for your efforts, personal efforts, to stop killings and stop this war. Thank you for using this opportunity, many thanks to your wife.”

Observers also noted that Trump himself seemed less confrontational than in February, possibly because Ukraine’s European allies were also present in the White House. Alongside Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff also remained silent during the exchange.

Overall, this meeting carried a more respectful and diplomatic tone than the stormy summit earlier in the year.