President Donald Trump lashed out at a Polish Radio correspondent in the Oval Office on Wednesday, September 3, telling him to find new employment after being pressed about his lack of direct action against Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
Marek Wałkuski, the Washington correspondent for Polish Radio and a longtime member of the White House press corps, questioned why Trump had voiced frustration with Putin yet imposed no direct measures against him. The exchange occurred during a bilateral meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
Trump pushed back against the reporter’s assertion, pointing to US tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil as evidence of action taken against Moscow. The president defended his administration’s approach by highlighting secondary sanctions imposed on India, describing it as the largest purchaser of Russian oil outside of China.
Trump indicated the sanctions had cost Russia hundreds of billions of dollars and suggested additional measures remained under consideration. “You ought to get yourself a new job,” he told the reporter during the heated exchange.
The president emphasized that phase two and phase three sanctions were still on the table, warning that more consequences could follow if Putin failed to cooperate. Trump mentioned that two weeks prior, he had warned India about potential problems if it continued purchasing Russian energy products.
Wałkuski later told The Hill that he appreciated the president’s advice but stood by his question, noting that he had received a newsworthy answer from the president and that questioning officials was part of his job as a journalist. The reporter has previously clashed with Trump, including during a February meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The confrontation occurred as Trump called for movement toward ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict within two weeks, expressing frustration with the war’s death toll. The president declined to send a direct message to Putin, stating that the Russian leader knew his position and would make a decision accordingly.
Trump warned that if Putin’s decision proved unsatisfactory, consequences would follow. The president indicated he would speak with Putin soon and would know what actions to take based on their conversation. He described the ongoing conflict as wasteful and expressed hope for a resolution.
The United States has imposed a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on India along with an additional 25 percent levy directly tied to New Delhi’s oil imports from Russia. These measures, which took effect on August 27, have effectively doubled duties on Indian goods to a combined 50 percent.
Trump’s administration has maintained that American trading partners have taken advantage of the United States through unfair tariff regimes. The president has repeatedly criticized India’s previous tariff policies, describing them as among the highest in the world before recent negotiations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed back against the pressure, stating that domestic priorities would not be compromised under external pressure. The Indian government maintains that its energy purchases are dictated by affordability and supply stability rather than geopolitical alignments.
Wałkuski, who formerly headed the White House Foreign Press Group, has established himself as a persistent questioner of administration officials. His February confrontation with Trump during Zelenskyy’s visit triggered a tense exchange between Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and the Ukrainian president.
The Wednesday meeting between Trump and Nawrocki featured military flyovers by American F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, demonstrating the close relationship between the two leaders. Trump had endorsed Nawrocki during Poland’s June presidential election, marking a rare international political endorsement by the American president.
The exchange highlighted ongoing tensions over Trump’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and his relationship with Putin. Ukrainian officials have expressed readiness for potential talks, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noting that seven countries have made proposals to host a leaders’ meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy.
Putin has indicated openness to meeting Zelenskyy in Moscow at Trump’s request, but has questioned the value of such talks. The Russian leader stated that Moscow would achieve its military aims if no agreement is reached, while maintaining that any deal must include Russian control over four annexed Ukrainian regions.
