Trump and USAF Flourish Greet Putin in Alaska

A B-2 bomber and F-35 fighters flew overhead as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 15. 

Four F-35 Lightnings and a B-2 Spirit flew over the two leaders after they disembarked from their respective aircraft to greet each other. They then approached reporters and photographers between four F-22 Raptors on the flightline before departing in a motorcade past more F-22s and a second B-2 on the tarmac. 

The show of force as Trump and Putin met to discuss a possible end to Russia’s war against Ukraine was an unexpected flourish from Trump, buoyed by his June attack on Iran’s nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer. It also took some planning: While the F-22s are from Elmendorf’s 3rd Wing, the B-2s flew in from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., and the F-35s came from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed. 

Speculation that B-2s might make an appearance at the summit began as open-source flight tracking data showed two of the bombers heading that way Aug. 14—particularly notable given that B-2s don’t always show up on such flight trackers, and when they do, it is usually seen as a strategic message.

Videos of the flyover quickly began appearing on social media, including one clip posted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, shot from the motorcade and showing the additional B-2 and F-22s. 

Trump flew in on Air Force One, a VC-25A, while Putin arrived in a Russian Ilyushin Il-96. The meeting is the first between the two leaders since July 2017. In the eight years since, Trump lost his reelection bid, Putin invaded Ukraine, and Trump sought and won reelection promising to bring that war to a close. The U.S. president is hoping to broker a ceasefire that could lead to peace talks during the summit.