'I‘ve never been able to...': Trump reveals how Zelenskyy is a 'better salesman' than him

Taking a dig at Ukrainian President, former US President Donald Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy "the greatest salesman" in the history.

Updated on: Mar 18, 2024, 19:39:30 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Taking a dig at Ukrainian President, former US President Donald Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy "the greatest salesman" in the history. His remarks come as Biden administration asks US senators to approve a hefty USD 60 billion aid package for Ukraine to deter Russia's invasion.

Former US President Donald Trump calls Ukrainian President Zelenskyy "one of the greatest salesmen in history". (AP )

Addressing a rally in Dayton, Ohio, Trump on Saturday said: “I tell you, Zelenskyy is one of the greatest salesmen in history. Every time he comes to the country, he walks away with 50 or 60 billion dollars.”

“I‘ve never been able to do this. He is a better salesman,” the Republican leader added.

He appealed to his supporters that lending to Ukraine would be a more effective approach than simply handing them a check for USD 60 billion.

On Saturday, Poland's Prime Minister renewed his request for US House Speaker Mike Johnson to "take a decision" on releasing the blocked aid package to Ukraine.

In early February, Trump received massive backlash for declaring that he would "encourage" Russia to target any NATO member that fails to meet its costs as part of the Western military alliance, and allow the aggressors to "do whatever the hell they want".

Also Read: After EU, US slaps Russia with 500 new sanctions over Ukraine invasion and Navalny's death

Biden slams Trump's NATO remarks

US President Joe Biden denounced Trump's comments regarding NATO as "dangerous" and "un-American," claiming they upped the stakes for the US Congress to pass additional funding to help Ukraine.

Speaking at the White House in February, Biden said: "The stakes were already high for American security before this bill was passed in the Senate." “But in recent days, those stakes have risen. And that’s because the former president has sent a dangerous, and shockingly, frankly un-American signal to the world.”

Also Read: Elon Musk's ‘financial advice' to Joe Biden: ‘Invest in infrastructure, not…'

The US President blasted Trump's remarks as open invitation to Russia to invade the allies of the United States.

“Can you imagine a former president of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it. And the worst thing is he means it,” he said.

Criticising Trump for bowing down to Putin, the POTUS asserted that he will never bow down to the Russian dictator.

Failing to back Ukraine with financial support would amount to backing Putin's war, Biden said, predicting that Russia's attacks might spread beyond Ukraine's borders and even move deeper into Europe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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