For 39 days, US Vice-President JD Vance performed his duties in the shadows of two bigger-than-life figures: President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. That changed on February 28.
With cameras rolling, the vice-president ambushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, triggering a heated argument rarely seen in the Oval Office. Vance repeatedly accused Zelensky of disrespecting Trump by refusing to offer thanks for US assistance. “Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?” Vance asked, yelling over Zelensky.
It was Vance’s most high-profile moment since assuming the role of Trump’s understudy. The remarkable scene showcased Vance’s media savvy, as he seized on a moment that would capture the media’s attention.
On February 28, Vance found that moment as Zelensky tried to explain how Russian President Vladimir Putin had reneged on prior diplomatic deals. Rather than engage with Zelensky on the substance, Vance changed the subject. “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance said, his voice rising.
Zelensky pressed on, asking whether Vance had ever been to Ukraine to see the situation for himself. This seemed to anger Vance even more, leading Zelensky to chide him: “You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, you – ” But this triggered Trump, who was sitting between the two men.
“He’s not speaking loudly,” Trump said. Within moments, Trump and Zelensky were yelling over each other, leading to Zelensky’s early exit from the White House without the expected minerals deal.
It was Vance, not Trump, who delivered the opening salvo on February 28, setting in motion the swift collapse of diplomacy between the two countries. The confrontation marked a striking moment for Vance, who has not been the one generating most of the banner headlines alongside Trump. That role has been reserved for Musk, the world’s richest man and the leader of the rapid effort to fire federal workers across the bureaucracy.
During Trump’s first Cabinet meeting on February 26, Vance sat across from Trump while the president lavished attention on Musk. Questions from reporters were directed at Musk – not Vance – about his demand that federal employees prove their worth by responding to an email with a description of their previous workweek.
Yet, there have been hints over the last six weeks that Vance was eager to showcase his own ability to shock. In mid-February, Vance stunned European officials by declaring during a speech in Munich that they should end the isolation of far-right parties across the continent. He underscored his message by meeting with Alice Weidel, the AfD’s candidate for chancellor in last month’s election.
The vice president has also used Trump’s favorite communications tool – social media – to grab attention. Roughly two weeks after the inauguration, Vance reacted to several court rulings against the president’s executive orders by making a sweeping statement about executive power.
“If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,” Vance wrote on X, the social media platform owned by Musk. “If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
That statement made headlines, with critics saying Vance was claiming powers for the presidency that go far beyond the limits imposed by the Constitution. Article III of the Constitution empowers courts to exercise judicial review over actions of the executive and legislative branches of government.
Vance was once dismissive of Trump and his agenda. In 2016, he called Trump an “idiot” and warned about his dangerous rhetoric. That view is gone. In the Senate, Vance worked tirelessly to advance Trump’s political agenda, in part by heaping praise on him. When he became Trump’s running mate in 2024, Vance was a dutiful soldier on the campaign trail who was careful not to overshadow the candidate.
In an interview with The New York Times in October 2024, just before the election, Vance said that he understood Trump’s abrasive approach to politics but did not necessarily seek to mimic it. “President Trump’s approach is President Trump’s approach,” he said. “His style is his style. Do I think that his style and his approach is a necessary corrective to what’s broken about American society? Yes, I do. That doesn’t mean I’m going to try to be Donald Trump.”
But neither, apparently, is he trying to be like the Republican and Democratic lawmakers who met with Zelensky just before the Oval Office meeting that went off the rails on February 28. That meeting went well, with some lawmakers from both parties posting smiling selfies with Zelensky. Some were anticipating being part of a signing ceremony for the mineral deal that they expected to take place in a few hours.
Instead, a black SUV sped out of the White House gates carrying Zelensky shortly after the meeting. Trump wanted him gone, as he made clear in a social media post. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office,” Trump wrote. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”