Dave Portnoy sides with Trump following heated Oval Office clash with Zelensky: ‘We’re not just going to get steamrolled’
By
Anna Young
Published March 1, 2025, 10:55 p.m. ET
293 Comments
Dave Portnoy praised President Trump and Vice President JD Vance for how they handled the explosive clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday – blasting the Kyiv leader for showing disrespect as he “steamrolled” negotiations to secure peace in his country.
The Barstool Sports founder took aim at Zelensky during a more than seven-minute rant on Saturday, while claiming he understood both sides of the squabble as he sympathized with the devastation Ukraine has endured since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
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Portnoy compared the blowup to watching “Bravo TV,” adding that it was the “most surreal” thing he’s ever seen in politics.
“I think Trump and Vance handled this as well as they could,”
Portnoy said in a video posted to X.
“We’re not just going to get steamrolled by Zelensky at the expense of getting a deal done. If that means that we have to throw a couple of flowers at Putin, then so be it.”
Portnoy added he, like Trump, would be “pissed” if a world leader failed to show appreciation for the “billions and billions of dollars” that’s been forked over to support another country’s war.
The public shouting match erupted between the trio of leaders in the Oval Office as a deal was set to be inked creating a joint US-Ukraine fund investing in extracting the country’s rare-earth mineral supply.
Trump has insisted the deal is essential to repaying the US for the more than $180 billion in American aid sent to Kyiv since the start of the war.
The vice president accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for America’s support, as Trump ripped him for disrespecting the Land of Liberty.
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Zelensky left the White House, which then canceled a planned joint conference.
“I’m on Trump’s side more than I am Zelensky’s,” Portnoy said.
“It seems like it could go on forever with us footing the bill. Clearly what the old administration has done has not helped to end this conflict at all.”
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Portnoy criticized the Biden Administration for vilifying Putin and squandering opportunities to work with Russia to achieve peace. He then hailed Trump for his diplomacy and hesitation to label the Kremlin as a dictator.
The social media personality also condemned Zelensky’s attire in the White House.
“You can say whatever you want about Trump. He takes signs of disrespect personally,” Portnoy argued.
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“He’s very much about, you know, respecting other things. So, Zelensky shows up and he’s wearing his sweatshirt and his customary outfit, which is his way of essentially saying, ‘I’m at war. I don’t have time to play politics or any other stuff,’” he continued.
“For me, this is just stupid. We get you’re at war, but you’re coming to meet a new administration. And it’s just a sign of disrespect not to show the same level of respect (in) the Oval Office that Trump clearly thinks it deserves.”
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Portnoy said he understands Ukraine has “been through hell and back” but believes that Zelensky should “show some deference” to the country he needs support and aid from.
“They should show some deference to or thank you to the American taxpayers,” Portnoy said.
“Trump made it very clear he wants diplomacy. He wants to end the debt. He wants to end this war.”
