Inside the Oval: How Trump sent Zelensky home with no deal and no meal

• Then Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz "went out of the Oval Office, walked to where Zelensky was sitting, and told him to leave," a senior White House official tells Axios.
• The visit was over without a minerals deal, and without any assurances of ongoing U.S. support.
• Trump followed up with a Truth Social post saying Zelensky "disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."

Between the lines: The White House official insisted the explosion in the meeting was not a premeditated ambush. "Our plan was to sign the minerals deal and get into this economic partnership and move towards peace."

• The shouting match began after Vice President Vance answered a reporter's question by insisting that diplomacy with Russia was the only path to peace.
• An exasperated Zelensky replied with a monologue about how Putin violated previous agreements. "What diplomacy are you talking about, JD?" he asked.
• Vance and Trump both accused Zelensky of disrespect, and Zelensky repeatedly tried to cut in as the rhetoric from the president and VP grew more hostile, with Trump at one point accusing Zelensky of "gambling with World War III."

U.S. allies swiftly rallied around Zelensky after the meeting, and Democrats on the Hill denounced Trump for bullying Ukraine's wartime leader.

• But Trump's aides put the blame squarely on Zelensky. "He could have just acknowledged the vice president's remarks and moved on, but he couldn't bring himself to do it," the White House official said.
• Whether the fracas was Zelensky's fault or not, the fallout for Ukraine could be severe. Zelensky has acknowledged just how dependent his military is on further U.S. aid, which remains highly uncertain.
• And Trump was not entirely wrong when he repeatedly told Zelensky he didn't "have the cards" to shape the outcome of the war without U.S. support.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who met Zelensky before his meeting with Trump, told reporters he advised the Ukrainian president, "Don't take the bait" and "talk about the positive." Now, "I don't know if we could ever do business with Zelensky again," Graham said.

One small but not insignificant factor that irritated Trump was the fact that Zelensky didn't wear a suit, two sources with direct knowledge told Axios.

• Trump's advisers told Zelensky's team on multiple occasions that it would be more respectful for Zelensky to ditch his military-style attire when visiting the White House.
• Zelensky arrived at the White House wearing a more formal black outfit with Ukraine's national symbol, but without a suit.
• "He is all dressed up today," Trump remarked when he shook Zelensky's hand at the entrance to the West Wing.

Friction point: U.S. officials had suspected another Trump-Zelensky flare-up was likely at some point, based on his handling of the minerals deal negotiations.

• "For several days, the Ukrainians jerked us around with this minerals deal, and today was the inflection point," a senior U.S. official said. "The blank check era for Zelensky in Washington is over and he didn't realize that."
• For their part, the Ukrainians were furious that Trump tried to force what was initially a deeply lopsided deal on them at a time when the U.S. was already leaving them out of talks with Russia about the future of Ukraine.
• And as Friday's meeting got underway, Zelensky was clearly frustrated at being lectured about the trouble his own country was in.

After leaving the White House, Zelensky canceled his next two public events and published a short statement on X thanking the American people, Congress and Trump for their support.

• "Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that," he wrote.