3:47A B-2 bomber along with four F-35 fighter jets flew overhead as U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac following their arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin at a U.S. military base in Alaska on Friday, accompanied by a flyover featuring the same type of bomber and fighter jets that were deployed against Iran’s nuclear facilities last June.
The two heads of state walked along a red carpet laid out at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, flanked by F-22 fighter jets, while the four F-35s and a B-2 Spirit bomber flew overhead.
As reported by two officials, two B-2 bombers had been flown into the base prior to Friday’s summit; the F-35 jets were dispatched from nearby Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The F-22 aircraft were stationed at Elmendorf.
It was not immediately known if Trump personally directed the bombers and the flyover at the Air Force base as a demonstration of strength before his talks with Russia, a nation that is also a nuclear power.
The B-2 is regarded as a representation of U.S. might, capable of flying globally without refueling and able to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. The stealthy B-2 bombers are the same models employed by the U.S. during June’s Operation Midnight Hammer, where seven aircraft completed a 36-hour mission from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Iran, delivering over a dozen bunker-buster bombs.
A B-2 bomber and four F-35 fighter jets fly overhead as US President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, August 15, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
The Pentagon did not provide a response to a request for comment.
In recent weeks, Trump has consistently lauded the capabilities of the B-2 aircraft and the proficiency of its pilots.
Trump has maintained that the sites were “obliterated.” U.S. military officials have stated that a damage assessment is still ongoing. On August 6, he revealed that his administration had ordered “new and enhanced” B-2 aircraft.
“It’s an extraordinary machine,” he told reporters while holding up a small model of the bomber.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
