Donald Trump's blunt remark to Vladimir Putin decoded by lip reader

 

When Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to talk about the war in Ukraine, the encounter drew as much attention for the atmosphere as it did for the substance.

Trump welcomed Putin with an unusually warm reception. The two leaders shook hands on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, with a red carpet laid out and American aircraft flying overhead in formation. According to lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman, Trump greeted Putin with the words, “Finally. You made it, great to see you and it’s appreciated.” Moments later, Trump reportedly followed with a blunt phrase that set the tone for their talks: “Game on.”

Observers noticed how Trump repeatedly emphasized the symbolism of the setting, telling Putin that the display was “great” and “symbolic” for him. Putin agreed with short acknowledgments before the pair moved on to their private discussions.

Not everyone was pleased with the optics. Many Ukrainians expressed outrage at the red-carpet treatment. President Volodymyr Zelensky reminded everyone that “everything concerning Ukraine must be discussed exclusively with Ukraine,” stressing the need for a trilateral format.

Behind closed doors, Trump and Putin spoke for nearly three hours. Afterward, Trump told reporters they had “agreed on some big points,” but stopped short of announcing a breakthrough, noting, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Putin struck a conciliatory tone, calling the Ukraine conflict a “tragedy” and saying he was “sincerely interested” in ending it. He even invited Trump to Moscow for further talks—an offer Trump half-joked would “get him some heat,” though he didn’t rule it out.

Kirill Dmitriev, one of Putin’s envoys, later said the meeting had been “productive,” with both sides recognizing opportunities for cooperation, particularly in economic areas.

The summit left many questions unresolved, but it underscored how both leaders are trying to shape the narrative on Ukraine and the future of U.S.-Russia relations.