The Trump administration responded to an incident in Vermont involving Vice President JD Vance and his three-year-old daughter, who were surrounded and yelled at by pro-Ukraine protesters.

A video showed demonstrators chanting “Slava Ukraini” and accusing the Trump administration of betraying Ukrainians. Vance, trying to protect his daughter, engaged in a respectful conversation with the protesters, addressing their concerns about the ongoing conflict with Russia. He emphasized the need for a settlement, but the situation escalated as more protesters joined in.

Vance’s communications director, William Martin, clapped back at claims by journalist Jimmy Rushton, defending Vance’s account of the incident. This confrontation comes after recent tensions between the vice president and Ukrainian President Zelensky regarding rare earth mineral rights and security guarantees.