President Donald Trump snapped at a reporter on Sunday, calling a question about signing security guarantees for Ukraine "dumb" just moments before entering high-stakes peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
]The exchange occurred as the two leaders greeted each other outside the resort and posed for photos. When a reporter asked if Trump was prepared to sign a security agreement that day, he responded sharply: "What a dumb question. Nobody even knows what the security agreement is going to say." He added that there would be "a strong agreement" with significant European involvement in protection efforts, describing their role as "terrific."
Trump snaps at reporter: "What a dumb question! Nobody even knows what the security agreement is going to say."pic.twitter.com/qNvrcdbkCx
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) December 28, 2025
The incident highlighted ongoing tensions over security guarantees, a core element of Zelenskyy's revised 20-point peace plan (now about 90% complete), which seeks NATO Article 5-style protections, maintenance of Ukraine's 800,000-troop army, a demilitarized zone in Donbas, substantial aid, and EU membership timelines.
Trump, who has shown no commitment to direct U.S. military defense of Ukraine, expressed optimism about broader talks, calling them in the "final stages" with both Russia and Ukraine eager to end the conflict. Earlier that day, he had a "good and very productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and planned to brief Zelenskyy on it before calling Putin again.
Discussions covered Donbas, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, air defense, and sanctions, with a joint call to European leaders planned. No firm deadline was set for a deal, and reporters were briefly allowed into the dining room before being escorted out.
This was the sixth meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in 2025, following improved relations after a heated February Oval Office clash.