Trump calls Zelensky ‘P.T. Barnum,’ says he’s ‘not a good guy to deal with …more difficult than Putin’

THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?

SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).

Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “P.T. Barnum” and said negotiating with him was harder than dealing with Vladimir Putin.
The president accused Zelensky of prolonging the war and condemned Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries as “a disgrace.”
Trump questioned how billions in American aid had been spent, while Zelensky accused Washington of undermining Ukraine through its new Russian diesel deal.

LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).

Donald Trump has found a new nickname for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

P.T. Barnum.

And judging by the president’s latest interview, he isn’t particularly amused by the show.

During a wide-ranging interview with Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, Trump compared Zelensky to the legendary American showman while criticizing the billions in military assistance Washington has provided Ukraine.

“They gave to P.T. Barnum, which is Zelenskyy, massive amounts of Patriots, of Tomahawks, of everything,” Trump complained, referring to weapons supplied during the Biden administration.

“And they didn’t make him pay.”

But the nickname wasn’t the most significant thing Trump said.

The president went further, declaring that the Ukrainian leader has become a greater obstacle to his peace negotiations than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin,” Trump said.

And when Finnerty questioned him about the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to negotiate, Trump didn’t soften his assessment.

“Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with,” he said.

Trump accused Zelensky of professing support for peace while resisting the compromises necessary to reach an agreement.

“He doesn’t wanna settle. He says he wants to settle, but he doesn’t,” the president maintained.

“No, I’m not a big fan of Zelensky.”

The remarks come amid a rapidly escalating dispute over Russian oil, American energy prices and Ukraine’s continuing attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Trump has negotiated an arrangement to bring Russian diesel onto the market as his administration attempts to ease fuel shortages and rising prices linked to the war in Iran.

Ukraine has criticized that decision, arguing that increased Russian energy sales provide Moscow with revenue it can use to continue its invasion.

Zelensky has also rejected Trump’s proposed pause on strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, pointing to continuing Russian attacks on Ukrainian power facilities.

Trump sees Ukraine’s renewed strikes on refineries differently.

“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher,” Trump said.

“Well, I think that’s a disgrace.”

He argued that Ukraine could strike other military targets without damaging fuel supplies needed by the international economy.

“There’s plenty of other targets they don’t have to hit,” Trump said.

His criticism reflects a fundamental disagreement over strategy. Ukraine considers Russia’s oil industry a legitimate target because energy revenues help finance Moscow’s war. Trump argues that disrupting fuel production also hurts consumers around the world.

And the disagreement is becoming increasingly personal. During a separate interview with Piers Morgan, Zelensky acknowledged feeling betrayed by Trump’s agreement with Putin.

He said losing the United States as a dependable partner would be a serious blow and criticized Washington’s decision to resume Russian diesel purchases.

The Ukrainian president argued that doing business with Putin under these circumstances puts Washington on the wrong side of history.

Meanwhile, Trump returned to another longstanding complaint: The extraordinary cost of American assistance to Ukraine.

He accused former President Joe Biden of providing weapons and cash without requiring adequate payment from Kyiv.

“Where is the cash that we gave to Ukraine?” Trump demanded.

“Where is all the equipment?”

He also alleged that American weapons supplied to Ukraine had subsequently been sold on the open market. That allegation was not substantiated by evidence presented in the interview.

Trump claimed Biden had committed approximately $350 billion in equipment and cash, a figure that exceeds several independently documented estimates of U.S. assistance actually delivered to Ukraine.

The distinction between money appropriated, obligated, disbursed and directly transferred to Ukraine matters when evaluating those claims.

Trump said his administration is now prioritizing American military stockpiles rather than continuing the previous administration’s approach.

“We’re keeping it for ourselves,” he said of newly manufactured munitions.

He described rapidly expanding production of Patriot interceptors and Tomahawk missiles, while insisting that European allies should pay for American-made weapons supplied to Ukraine.

“They’ve been paying us, and we send them munitions, and that works,” Trump said.

But the president suggested American military needs would take priority until U.S. stockpiles reach satisfactory levels.

Trump also renewed his criticism of Zelensky’s continued presidency, arguing that Ukrainians should have an opportunity to vote on their wartime leadership.

Ukraine has postponed national elections under martial law following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian law restricts elections during martial law, and the practical difficulties of voting amid active warfare remain substantial.

Trump nevertheless questioned whether Zelensky retains the support of Ukrainians enduring years of bombardment and military losses.

He warned that Russia possesses far greater manpower reserves than Ukraine, complicating Kyiv’s ability to sustain a prolonged war.

“Russia is a massive country,” Trump observed.

The president said he still believes the conflict can end through negotiations.

“It should end soon,” he said.

But his latest comments reveal just how badly relations between Washington and Kyiv have deteriorated.

Trump insists Zelensky is resisting a settlement, while Zelensky argues that concessions benefiting Moscow would reward the country that invaded Ukraine.

Russia, meanwhile, continues its military campaign, including attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

For Trump, the question increasingly centers on the price Americans are paying for the conflict, both through military assistance and higher energy costs.

For Zelensky, the question remains whether Ukraine can defend itself without surrendering territory or accepting terms dictated by Moscow.

And now the Ukrainian president has acquired another problem: A White House occupant who has started comparing him to one of America’s most famous showmen.