Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in a Fox News interview sharply criticised European allies, accusing them of enforcing “anti-freedom policies” while simultaneously supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the ongoing war with Russia.
Her remarks came after a heated Oval Office exchange on Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy. Following their meeting, European nations reaffirmed their backing of Ukraine, a move that Gabbard viewed as contradictory to their democratic values.
Gabbard calls out Europe’s ‘anti-freedom policies’
During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, anchor Shannon Bream asked Gabbard about Russian leaders reportedly celebrating the fallout between Trump and Zelenskyy. In response, Gabbard focused on what she saw as European hypocrisy.
“They’ll say whatever serves their agenda. What we need to focus on here in America is what benefits the American people,” the DEI said. “Many citizens are celebrating the strong leadership that President Trump and Vice President Vance showed during the Oval Office meeting.”
She went on to argue that the Biden administration had lacked such decisive leadership and praised Trump for prioritizing peace negotiations. According to Gabbard, European leaders undermined democratic principles by implementing restrictive policies while claiming to uphold freedom.
Gabbard continued, “We heard very clearly during Vice President Vance’s speech in Munich. Different examples of how these European partners and longtime allies, in many cases, are actually implementing policies that undermine democracy. That shows that they don’t actually believe in the voices of the people being heard and implementing anti-freedom policies.”
She emphasised how this has been evident in the UK, Germany, and even in Romania, where elections were overturned.”
Tense exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House ended on a tense note after a direct confrontation with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Trump made it clear that Ukraine needed to either negotiate a deal with the U.S. or continue the war alone.
Trump to Zelenskyy: “You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll have to fight on your own. It won’t be pretty, but you don’t have the leverage. Once we sign that deal, you’ll be in a better position. But right now, you’re not acting grateful. And that’s not a good look.”
Vance also challenged Zelenskyy, asking whether he truly appreciated the aid the U.S. had provided since the war started in 2022.
As part of its approach to the Ukraine conflict, the Trump administration is negotiating a deal that would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources in exchange for continued military and financial assistance.
Later that evening, Zelenskyy sat down for an exclusive interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier. When asked if he planned to apologize to Trump for the heated exchange, Zelenskyy declined but emphasized his respect for Trump and the United States.
“I respect President Trump and the U.S.,” he said, without directly addressing whether he regretted the confrontation.
