Hundreds protest Vice President’s visit following White House clash with Zelensky

Vice President JD Vance was forced to relocate his family to an “undisclosed location” after hundreds of pro-Ukraine protesters swarmed a Vermont ski resort where they had planned to vacation—just days after his public confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Vance and his family were met by a large crowd of outraged demonstrators as they arrived at Sugarbush Resort in Waitsfield. The four-day trip was abruptly cut short due to the scale and intensity of the protests.

Protesters call Vance a ‘national disgrace’

Demonstrators lined the snow-covered streets, carrying signs labeling Vance a “national disgrace,” branding him a “traitor,” and urging the family to “go ski in Russia.”

“Have you no shame? Support Ukraine,” one sign read.

Counter-protesters also made their presence known. Pickup trucks displaying “Make America Great Again” flags drove through Waitsfield, while another group of pro-Vance supporters clashed with demonstrators outside the resort.

Amid the escalating tensions, Vance and his family abandoned their plans to stay at a nearby four-star inn and instead left for an “undisclosed location.”

Demonstrators camped near ski lifts

The protests were initially planned earlier in the week but intensified after the heated Oval Office exchange between Zelensky, Vance, and President Trump over a mineral rights deal. The deal was ultimately scrapped, and Zelensky was reportedly ejected from the White House.

A handful of demonstrators even camped out by ski lifts, believing the Vance family might still be skiing at the resort.

Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott had urged protesters to remain respectful ahead of Vance’s visit.

“I hope Vermonters remember the Vice President is here on a family trip with his young children and, while we may not always agree, we should be respectful,” Scott said Thursday. “Please join me in welcoming them to Vermont, and hoping they have an opportunity to experience what makes our state, and Vermonters, so special.”

Protesters voice broader concerns

Many demonstrators had originally planned to protest the Trump administration’s federal budget cuts.

“Some of us are scared about losing Social Security or Medicaid or parks or having measles epidemics or climate change,” said protest organizer Ginny Sassaman of the Indivisible Calais group.

The diverse group of activists also included members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“As a trans person and as a person of color, I’m extremely concerned about the new policies about trans people. I’m concerned about the ICE raids. I have friends who are trans. I have friends who are immigrants who’ve been reaching out to me and saying, ‘We’re scared,’” organizer Katayoun Lam told VT Digger.

Vance’s Oval Office clash with Zelensky

The protests followed a tense Oval Office meeting where Vance confronted Zelensky in front of international media, accusing him of failing to express gratitude for U.S. military aid.

“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelensky. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.”