During the high-stakes peace summit at Mar-a-Lago on December 28, 2025, President Donald Trump paused the serious negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to deliver a sharp, ironic joke directed at the media. While inviting the press to stay for lunch, Trump quipped, "Would you like food? Or do you consider that a BRIBE?" He followed up by asking if the meal would prevent them from writing "bad stories," ultimately concluding that even with a lunch invite, the coverage would likely only "get worse." While the press pool laughed, the Ukrainian delegation—focused on a 20-point peace framework to end nearly four years of war—appeared visibly puzzled by the sudden shift in tone.
