The much-anticipated talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin finally happened. The Russian leader’s Ilyushin IL-96 aircraft touched down at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, about 30 minutes after Trump’s Air Force One landed on Friday, August 15. The pair of aircraft sat side-by-side as the two world leaders disembarked and walked red carpets to meet in front of Air Force One. As they moved to a low dais, Putin and Trump walked past F-22 Raptors, stealthy air superiority fighter aircraft, just as a B-2 Spirit strategic bomber with an F-22 and F-35 Lightning II escort flew over. Putin could not help looking up. It was pure pageantry to be sure – a pageant of power.
