US Vice President JD Vance recorded his worst favorability rating since entering the White House after a heated Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28, according to a poll. Newsweek reported.
Why It Matters
Vance, 40, surprisingly took center stage in the Oval Office for part of the heated exchange between him, Zelenskyy, and President Donald Trump, accusing the Ukrainian president of being disrespectful to the United States, something a vice president rarely seems to do.
What to Know
Vance’s net favorability rating has plummeted since his heated clash with Zelenskyy. But on the other hand, Trump, who led the meeting, did not suffer a similar decline in his favorable ratings among the public.
A Morning Consult poll conducted from February 28 to March 2 after a tense Oval Office meeting between Vance, Trump, and the leader of Ukraine showed that 44 percent of voters had an unfavorable view of the vice president, compared to 42 percent favorable.
According to Morning Consult, Vance’s minus 2 net favorable score is the worst on record since he was sworn in as vice president of the United States on Jan. 20.
On February 29, crowds gathered in Vermont to protest Vance’s visit to a local ski resort after a heated meeting with Zelenskyy, and one protester held a sign that read, “Vance is a traitor. Go ski in Russia.”
An earlier Morning Consult poll was conducted from February 21 to 24 and found that 44 percent of voters had a favorable view of Vance, while 42 percent had an unfavorable view, giving the vice president a net favorability score of plus 2 points, indicating a slight drop in Vance’s popularity.
During the Oval Office meeting, Vance suggested that Zelenskyy should be more appreciative of the support the United States has given Ukraine since the February 2022 invasion of Russia.
Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being “disrespectful” to Trump and the United States, and Trump berated Zelenskyy in front of the world’s media during the same meeting, accusing the Ukrainian president of risking World War III and warning that Ukraine must “make a deal” with Russia or risk losing US support.
According to the latest Morning Consult poll, more people view Trump unfavorably (49 percent to 48 percent). However, Trump’s net score is lower than the previous poll, in which he recorded a 50 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable rating.
The poll came before Trump announced the end of all US aid to Ukraine due to his disagreements with Zelenskyy, according to Newsweek.
JD Vance said during an interview Monday (3 March) with Fox News, “President (Trump) has set a very clear goal for his administration. He (Trump) wants to stop the killing, and I think it’s very important that President Zelenskyy and, of course, President Putin should both come to the negotiating table. I (Vance) don’t really care what President Zelenskyy says, but he shows me clearly, whether it’s peace or someone else. The process that Trump says is the American people and their presidential policy.”
