Moderator Kristen Welker asked Johnson what he thought about comments by Sen. Lindsey Graham—a once staunch supporter of Ukraine on the Republican side—in which he said that for Ukraine-Russia peace agreements to occur, Zelensky may need to resign.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday and at times raised their voices toward the Ukrainian leader. Trump also accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” as Vance demanded that Zelenskyy offer his thanks to the president.

Following Trump's lead, White House officials and Republicans in Congress used news show appearances to demand that Zelenskyy display more gratitude for U.S. support and an openness to potential war-ending concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin.