Aug 15, 2025 - World

At Trump-Putin summit, a flex of F-22 and B-2 warplanes

Colin Demarest

Two men in suits standing on a stage with large white letters spelling ALASKA. Military jet and Air Force One plane in the background with uniformed personnel standing in formation. — F-22 fighter jets lined the red carpet rolled out for presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump's first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in years was punctuated by an overt display of military muscle.

The big picture: The Alaskan rendezvous, closely choreographed, included a B-2 stealth bomber flyover and a red carpet crowded by F-22 fighter jets.

Both men paused to look at the aircraft overhead before climbing onto the stage at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Between the lines: The Lockheed Martin-made F-22 Raptor and the Northrop Grumman-made B-2 Spirit are among America's most precious — and pricey — weapons.

The U.S. in June used seven B-2s to strike Iran, a country propping up the Russian war machine in Ukraine.

Zoom out: The dialogue between nuclear powers arrives more than three years into fighting in Eastern Europe.

Trump has said he wants a ceasefire. Putin has not been so eager.

What's next: The talks are expected to last for hours.

Go deeper: Trump wants two new cutting-edge fighter jets: F-22 Super and F-55

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At Trump-Putin summit, a flex of F-22 and B-2 warplanes

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