Internet split as a smiling Putin rides in ‘The Beast’ with Trump in Alaska after red-carpet welcome

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA: The internet is divided over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s red-carpet welcome during the Alaska Summit on Friday, August 15, at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.

President Donald Trump was seen clapping as Putin walked toward him on the tarmac. Before shaking his hand, Trump waited for him to deboard and, as some online users noted, he appeared unable to walk in a straight line.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin walk red carpet at Alaska military base

The two walked across a red carpet at the US military base in Anchorage as F-22 fighter jets — often used to intercept Russian aircraft — and what appeared to be a B-2 stealth bomber flew overhead.

Donald Trump welcomes Vladimir Putin upon arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

They continued toward a platform bearing the sign “Alaska 2025.” Reporters shouted questions at Putin, including, “Will you agree to a ceasefire?” and “Will you stop killing civilians?”

Putin appeared to shrug, suggesting he could not hear them.

He did the same later inside the meeting room in front of the press, this time pulling an awkward expression and mouthing something unclear.

Putin joins Trump in ‘The Beast’ after air base ceremony

After the air base ceremony, Trump invited Putin to ride with him in the US president’s official car, nicknamed “The Beast,” according to Russian state media RIA Novosti.

Putin accepted, and cameras later captured him smiling in the back seat with Trump as they drove toward the meeting room.

Friday’s meeting carried a different tone compared to past encounters. As the two sat inside the meeting room at Elmendorf Air Force Base, cameras caught them remaining silent. Neither offered opening remarks. Trump appeared stone-faced, though he occasionally smiled and at one point leaned over to speak to his interpreter.

The backdrop of the meeting displayed a message highlighting its stated purpose: “Pursuing peace.”

“Can you make a deal with him, sir?” one reporter asked. Trump did not answer. Moments later, he dismissed the press, saying, “Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.”

Online backlash and Ukraine criticism over Putin’s red-carpet welcome in US

Ukraine expressed its displeasure, with Mustafa Nayyem, a Ukrainian journalist turned politician, posting an image of US soldiers kneeling to secure the red carpet laid at the foot of Putin’s plane before the Russian president emerged. The image was captioned, “Make Kneeling Great Again.”

“Putin was SMILING in the back of The Beast with Trump as they drove to their meeting. If Putin is this happy, something deeply wrong is happening. Trump is a total embarrassment to this country,” Democrat Harry Sisson wrote on X.

Meanwhile, social media users clashed over Trump’s optics with Putin in Alaska.

“Trump couldn’t even walk in a straight line to greet Putin; stumbling like a man who just met gravity for the first time. World stage, red carpet, and he’s out here looking like a malfunctioning Roomba,” one user posted.

“In a shocking moment, Vladimir Putin boards the presidential limousine, known as ‘The Beast,’ with Trump, who has given Putin an unearned king’s welcome, one night after Russia bombed more civilians. Utterly despicable,” one X account posted.

Defenders pushed back. “This is not despicable.... They’re having REAL conversations in that car,” one wrote. Another user added, “It’s called respect.”

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