Overview

• On Aug. 11, during a White House briefing on Washington, D.C., crime, President Trump said “I’m going to Russia on Friday” while announcing his Putin meeting, seemingly confusing Alaska with Russia.
• The remark triggered widespread mockery on social media and prompted critics to question the president’s cognitive fitness.
• Despite the gaffe, the Trump–Putin summit remains scheduled for Aug. 15 in Alaska, marking the first U.S.-Russia presidential meeting since 2021.
• Trump has indicated he will press Putin for a peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine that may involve Ukraine ceding territory, a notion swiftly rejected by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Russian officials praised Alaska’s historical ties to Imperial Russia as a fitting venue, and U.S. politicians such as Sen. Lisa Murkowski offered cautious optimism but maintained wariness toward Putin.