Kansas, Missouri, political leaders offer reaction to Trump, Zelenskyy Oval Office meeting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Political leaders from across Missouri and Kansas weighed in Friday afternoon in the aftermath of a heated exchange earlier Friday between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

LINK | Trump, Vance chastise Zelenskyy in Oval Office, calling him 'ungrateful'

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R - Kansas) posted on X his thanks to Trump and Vance for "standing up for America."

On the Missouri side, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R - Missouri) used the exchange to call for accountability in the money the U.S. has authorized for the war in Ukraine.

U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R - Missouri) encouraged his followers to pay attention to which sides people defend in the aftermath of the exchange.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D - 5th District, Missouri) called Friday's Oval Office exchange "the most embarrassing and shameful moment" he's ever seen from the Oval Office.

Cleaver continued to express his thoughts on the back-and-forth between Trump and Zelenskyy in a statement released Friday.

“Despite the ignorance of our current administration, Americans know that the Ukrainian people are standing on the front lines in the fight for freedom and democracy around the world—and we know that their sacrifices are strengthening security for all freedom-loving countries, including the United States.

I will continue to stand with our Ukrainian friends as they resist Putin’s despicable invasion, and I hope that Republicans in Congress will do the same.”

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-Missouri) called America a "generous nation" and that both Trump and Vance were "exactly right."

This story will be updated as additional comments are received.

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