Did U.S. President Donald Trump call his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy "a dictator"? Yes, that's true
By: Uliana Malashenko
Trump used the word "dictator" to describe Zelenskyy in a February 19, 2025, post on Truth Social. Despite that fact, Trump later attempted to cast doubt on his earlier description.
During a joint press appearance featuring Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office on February 27, 2025, a reporter asked Trump:
Mr. President, do still think that Mr. Zelenskyy is a dictator?
After a brief pause, Trump replied (at the 24:42 mark):
Did I say that? I can't believe I said that. Next question.
Trump's response to the reporter appeared to cast doubt on the contents of his previous statements.
However, Trump did indeed use the word "dictator" to describe the Ukrainian president in a post published on Truth Social on February 19, 2025. In part, the entry read:
A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.
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