South Korea president: Staff was worried about ‘Zelensky moment’ during Trump meeting

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his Monday meeting with President Trump exceeded expectations despite concerns that he could face a “Zelensky moment,” referring to the public blowup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office earlier this year.

“Before I met with President Trump today, he posted on Truth Social a very threatening post, which I felt. And then during the press gaggle, he mentioned about the Korean government’s investigations regarding the previous government, and he mentioned that he would look into the search and seizure of U.S. bases,” Lee said later Monday during remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

“And so, my staff was worried that we might face a Zelensky moment. But I already knew that I would not face that kind of situation,” he added, noting he studied for their conversation by reading the president’s 1987 book, “The Art of the Deal.”

Earlier in the day, Trump said tensions were brewing in Seoul.

“WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution. We can’t have that and do business there,” the president posted on Truth Social ahead of the meeting.

“I am seeing the new President today at the White House,” he continued. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”

His comments come months after the former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted after attempting to invoke martial law. The nation’s Parliament ultimately blocked the measure and a constitutional court removed him from office.

Despite protests that drew global attention and criticism, Lee said he arrived in Washington prepared to negotiate tariff rates, defense collaboration for the Korean peninsula and corporate partnerships.

“President Trump said, as a technique in negotiating, that he presents conditions that are hard to accept for the opponent,” Lee told reporters at the CSIS event. “But at the final stage, he does not come to an unreasonable conclusion.”

“And this was the pattern that I observed in his previous negotiations with other countries,” he continued. “And because of the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance, I was confident that he would not inflict a wound to our alliance.”

The U.S. and South Korea agreed to a 15 percent tariff rate for exports from Seoul with $100 billion in energy investments. Trump told reporters the nation’s leaders found some qualms with the deal, but he stuck to his guns on the terms of agreement.

“We are going to, they’re going to make the deal that they agreed to make,” he said.

Lee said he hopes to maintain more prosperous relations with the U.S. and to expand the bilateral partnership in three main areas: security, economy and technology.

“A future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance is firmly rooted in the three pillars of security, economy, and advanced technology. And this ironclad alliance, founded on pragmatism and national interest for our people, will shine brightly,” the leader told reporters.

“The golden era of the ROK-U.S. alliance has yet to come, not because we lack in something, but because we have unlimited potential to realize,” he added. “Together, we can achieve even greater things.”

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