Zelinsky vs Trump: No Contest

It is said that Americans play poker, Russians play chess. I believe Ukrainians also play chess. But Ukrainian President Zelinsky tried to play poker in the Oval Office. He tried to bluff President Trump and Vice President Vance. But he bluffed poorly, He hadn’t had the practice.

He thought he was still speaking to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. He thought he was still speaking as the manager of a money laundry, funneling billions into the offshore accounts of unknown politicians and other criminals.

Zelinsky forgot (if he ever knew) that the desk was a gift from Queen Victoria, made from the timbers of the Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute. It is referred to as the Resolute Desk. President Kennedy sat behind it when he faced down Russia during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Zelinsky now was facing Trump, a man not known to take disrespect kindly. Trump’s red hair, independent spirit, and first name come from his Scottish mother, born on the Isle of Lewis and a native speaker of Gaelic. Silence in response to rudeness is not their strong point.

And then we have Vice President J.D. Vance, who was a Marine corporal in a combat zone. I might talk back to a full colonel, but a corporal? No, best shut up and do as you are told. Right, Volodymyr?

They didn’t name it the Ambivalent Desk, or the Wishy-washy Desk, or the Meek Desk, or the Tepid Desk. Our President works behind the Resolute Desk. Keep that in mind.