In a heated exchange, Vance initially began the upbraiding of Zelensky for disrespecting the Trump administration.

“I think it’s disrespectful for you to come to the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told the Ukrainian leader. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems.”

TRUMP CUTS SHORT ZELENSKY WHITE HOUSE VISIT AFTER OVAL OFFICE ERUPTION: ‘HE DISRESPECTED’ THE US

Vance eventually questioned Zelensky for not showing more appreciation for the United States during its three-year war against Russia.

“Have you said ‘thank you’ once this entire meeting?” he asked Zelensky. “You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October; offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”

The exchange was a shocking display of a foreign leader’s interactions with the president of the U.S. and led to Zelensky being asked to leave the White House before a joint press conference with President Donald Trump.

The two nations did not sign the bilateral U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal that was brokered before the visit to the Oval Office.

“This is gonna be great television,” Trump remarked at the end of the stunning meeting.

Many MAGA allies, strategists, and GOP lawmakers quickly praised Vance’s actions at the Oval Office.

“Both Trump and Vance are great because they’re on no one else’s leash,” wrote Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on X.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk responded to Lee’s post with a bullseye emoji.

“Vance is showing himself to be a truly reliable and competent number two. And I think we’ve seen this ever since the debate with Tim Walz,” Ford O’Connell, a Republican strategist, told the Washington Examiner.

Leaning on his role during the campaign trail, Vance often aided Trump by slamming their Democratic opponents at rallies and events.

“I was very proud of JD Vance standing up for our country,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). “We want to be helpful. What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelensky again.”

The vice president and president “were caught off guard by Zelenksy’s antics,” and they did not plan to have an acrimonious meeting ahead of time, a source familiar with the White House meeting told the Washington Examiner.

Vance’s quick-fire attack caused a crossed-armed Zelensky to shake his head in annoyance and mutter under his breath. It also set off Trump to lay into the Ukrainian leader.

“You’re gambling with World War III,” Trump said after Zelensky attempted to counter Vance’s critiques. “You’ve got to be more thankful because, let me tell you, you don’t have the cards.”

The exchange was another sign that Vance relishes his role as a Trump bulldozer.

“You really have to think back to Dick Cheney when you think about vice presidents with such a voice,” said GOP strategist Brian Seitchik.

“Mike Pence was seemingly more of a quiet VP. He was more of a validator for Trump,” Seitchik said of the former vice president. “Vance is able to offer kind of an additional level to Trumpism. Donald Trump does an excellent job of getting to the heart and soul of the matter. … JD Vance is able to put this intellectual space on Trumpism that really very few other people have been able to do.”

The day before, Vance dressed down British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the vice president’s remarks at the Munich Security Conference on free speech and religious liberties, which shocked several European allies.

“What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America,” Vance told the conference at the time.

“I said what I said, which is that we do have, of course, a special relationship with our friends in the U.K. and also with some of our European allies,” Vance reiterated this week.

“But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that actually affect not just the British. Of course, what the British do in their own country is up to them,” Vance added. “But also affect American technology companies and, by extension, American citizens.”

Starmer responded, “We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time.”  

Vance was also one of the few people to speak during Trump’s first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

When Vance did speak, it was to once again defend Trump’s handling of the peace negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We’re not going to do the negotiation in public with the American media,” Vance said. “He’s going to do it in private with the president of Russia, with the president of Ukraine, and with other leaders.”

A White House aide noted that Vance already built up a profile in his first month on the job, including handling TikTok’s required divestment of Chinese ownership and helping with Senate nominations for Cabinet members “at the explicit direction of President Trump.”

“President Trump clearly trusts the Vice President to take on challenging tasks,” a White House aide told the Washington Examiner. “Vice President Vance and President Trump get along great, and the Vice President is committed to the President’s agenda and can get the job done so there’s a lot of trust between them.”

The vice president has also served domestically as Trump’s console in chief in his first month on the job, traveling to regions in the U.S. struck by tragedy.

Another Republican source close to the Trump administration claimed that Vance had a learning curve after he was selected as Trump’s running mate last year, but Vance has more than proved his effectiveness.

“I don’t know the last time we’ve seen a vice president that out in public in the way that Trump allows JD Vance to be,” said the Republican source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “Mike Pence in the first Trump administration? No. … JD Vance is on the exact same page as Donald Trump, and he’s earned Trump’s trust.”

Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.