It was a made-for-TV moment: The two leaders met on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Air Force One and two F-35 fighters in the background. As they walked together, overhead came the roar of those F-35s, followed by the low, almost ghostly sweep of a B-2 stealth bomber — a display of U.S. airpower as much as a nod to the Cold War history between the nations.

Hours later, after their closed-door discussions, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared again — this time on a raised stage, each behind a podium, U.S. and Russian flags flanking both sides, with a blue backdrop behind them that read ‘Pursuing Peace.’ It was the first U.S.-hosted summit between American and Russian presidents on U.S. military soil.

Trump had spent days rehearsing via secure calls with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, coordinating ‘red lines’ to take into the meeting: no territorial concessions to Russia, Ukraine in the room for all negotiations, and clear conditions for any sanctions relief. Yet, despite the military pomp and the careful stagecraft, what emerged from Alaska was not a deal, but a diplomatic pause — warm words, thin details, and the hard work still ahead.

Putin spoke first, describing the talks as ‘constructive and mutual respect.’ He recalled moments in history when the U.S. and Russia ‘worked together’ and said he sought a ‘long-term settlement.’ He acknowledged Russia’s ‘legitimate concerns’ and said it was ‘very important for our countries to turn the page.’ He described a ‘trustworthy tone’ in the conversation and praised Trump for having ‘a good idea of what he wants.’ In a line clearly aimed at the cameras back home, Putin claimed Trump told him that if he had been president earlier, ‘there would not have been war,’ and confirmed that he believed it was true.

Trump followed, also taking no questions. ‘We had productive meetings,’ he said. ‘Big agreements. No deal until there is a deal.’ He promised to call ‘NATO,’ to ‘call Zelenskyy,’ and declared, ‘We really made great progress today.’ He reminded the audience of his ‘fantastic relationship with Putin’ and judged there was ‘a good chance of getting there,’ even if ‘we’re not there yet.’ Most importantly, Trump said, ‘We need to stop thousands of people being killed every week.’

For all the positive tone, the substance was modest. Putin left Alaska dangling the prospect of a ceasefire — but with strings attached. We know from prior statements that he wants the U.S. to lift certain sanctions and drop tariff threats aimed at countries like India that buy Russian energy. He intends to keep control of two eastern Ukrainian provinces seized in 2022. Likely, Trump did not concede those points, but evidently they agreed to a follow-on meeting ‘soon.’ 

While the flags fluttered in Anchorage, the war did not stop. Russian forces pressed forward modestly near Dobropillia in Donetsk region, testing Ukrainian defenses in what looks like an attempt to improve their tactical position before any pause. Ukraine rushed reinforcements, stabilizing the line for now, but fighting remains intense.

Russia’s long-range bombardment shows no sign of abating. In July alone, Moscow launched more than 70 cruise missiles and thousands of Iranian-made Shahed drones at Ukrainian targets. Ukraine has answered with deep strikes — including a hit on a Russian oil refinery and the bombing of a cargo ship carrying drone parts in the Caspian Sea. Neither side is behaving as if the war’s end is imminent.

That’s why any ceasefire talk must be backed by ironclad verification: neutral observers on the ground, satellite surveillance, clearly mapped lines, and automatic ‘snap-back’ sanctions for violations. Without that, Moscow will have every incentive to rearm under the cover of diplomacy.

If nothing else, Alaska revealed the bottom lines.

For Putin, it’s about locking in territorial gains and relieving the economic pressure eroding his war machine. Rolling back sanctions on countries that help him skirt restrictions would boost his revenues and signal to others that U.S. economic warfare is negotiable.

For Trump, it’s about testing whether Putin can be moved toward de-escalation without sacrificing U.S. credibility. Involving Zelenskyy keeps Ukraine’s fate from being decided in absentia, and reaffirming NATO’s support reassures allies.

For Ukraine, it’s a double-edged sword. A follow-on meeting offers a diplomatic opening, but Putin’s explicit territorial demands remain a political, legal, and moral red line.

Washington must resist trading sanctions relief for vague promises. The sanctions regime is one of the few levers that works, and any easing must be tied to measurable, sustained compliance verified by independent intelligence as well as neutral monitors.

Putin leaves Alaska with the optics of being a willing negotiator — useful for his domestic image — but no immediate relief on sanctions or Western recognition of his land grabs. Expect him to probe Western unity with limited escalations in the next two weeks.

Kyiv has a brief window to reinforce its defenses and prepare a clear case for the next meeting: explicit security guarantees, timetables for arms deliveries, and a non-negotiable stance on sovereignty.

Allied capitals can point to a small win: the U.S. did not cut a side deal. But they must be ready to step up enforcement and fill any gaps if U.S. resolve wavers.

Beijing will study Alaska closely. If the West blinks on sanctions enforcement, it could embolden Chinese adventurism in the Pacific. A unified Western stand would send the opposite message.

If the U.S. wants these ceasefire talks to go anywhere, three steps are essential:

1. Lock in Enforcement MechanismsBuild a monitoring framework that combines neutral observers, allied intelligence, and technological oversight. Make violations costly and automatic to deter cheating.
2. Keep Ukraine at the Center‘No decision about Ukraine without Ukraine’ must remain non-negotiable. Zelensky needs a real voice and veto over any territorial terms.
3. Use Sanctions as Leverage, Not CurrencyAny relief should be phased, conditional, and reversible. Sanctions should be the reward for sustained compliance, not an upfront concession.

The Alaska summit was not the breakthrough some hoped for, but it wasn’t a failure, either. It gave both sides a clearer picture of the negotiating terrain and bought time for positioning. But time favors the side that uses it best.

For the United States, that means holding firm on sanctions, bolstering Ukraine’s defenses, and treating any ceasefire as the start of a rigorous verification process, not the war’s conclusion. For Ukraine, it means preparing for two divergent paths: meaningful diplomacy or intensified conflict. For Russia, it means deciding whether continued war is worth the mounting cost when the West refuses to pay in land.

If Alaska was merely a pause, the next meeting will decide whether it becomes a bridge to peace — or a bridge to nowhere.

Smithsonian museums must represent the U.S. in a ‘fair’ manner and portray both the good and the bad of American history, according to President Donald Trump. 

Trump made his comments after the White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday unveiling plans to conduct a review of its museums and exhibits in preparation for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026.

‘We want the museums to treat our country fairly,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.’ 

‘Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad,’ Trump said. ‘But what happened over the years in an accurate way.’ 

The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it was reviewing the Trump administration’s letter and would work with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents moving forward. 

‘The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,’ the Smithsonian said in a statement. 

Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, weighed in on the matter earlier Thursday, saying left-wing activists had ‘obscenely defaced’ the museum. 

‘The Smithsonian is supposed to be a global symbol of American strength, culture and prestige,’ Miller posted to X Thursday. ‘A place for families and children to celebrate American history and greatness. Instead, the exhibits have clearly been taken over by leftwing activists who have used the Smithsonian as yet one platform to endlessly bash America and rewrite / erase our magnificent story.

‘These activists have obscenely defaced this beloved institution,’ Miller added. ‘The Trump Administration will proudly and diligently restore the patriotic glory of America and ensure the Smithsonian is a place that once more inspires love and devotion to this nation, especially among our youngest citizens.’

The White House’s initial letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday said the review would evaluate social media, exhibition text and educational materials. This would be done to ‘assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,’ the letter said. 

‘This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,’ the letter said.

The review will focus on the following museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Trump has taken previous steps to alter what content is shown in the Smithsonian museums and signed an executive order in March that placed Vice President JD Vance in charge of overseeing the removal of programs or exhibits that ‘degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.’ 

Vance has already moved to shake things up at the Smithsonian. 

Artist Amy Sherald canceled an exhibit scheduled to arrive at the Smithsonian in September that included a portrait of a transgender Statue of Liberty at the National Portrait Gallery after Vance claimed the show featured woke and divisive content, Fox News Digital first reported. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The Trump administration is announcing the launch of a new tool it says will be instrumental in enabling agencies across the federal government to efficiently implement artificial intelligence at scale and take a major step forward rolling out the president’s ‘AI Action Plan.’

Trump’s U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) said on Thursday it has launched USAi, a tool the agency describes as a ‘secure generative artificial intelligence evaluation suite that enables federal agencies to experiment with and adopt artificial intelligence at scale—faster, safer, and at no cost to them.’

The agency says that the platform, available starting Thursday at 10 a.m. through USAi.gov, gives government users access to ‘powerful’ tools like chat-based AI, code generation and document summarization with the goal of ‘supercharging employee productivity.’

‘USAi isn’t just another tool, it’s infrastructure for America’s AI future,’ GSA Chief Information Officer David Shive explained. ‘USAi helps the government cut costs, improve efficiency, and deliver better services to the public, while maintaining the trust and security the American people expect.’

GSA Deputy Administrator Stephen Ehikian told Fox News Digital that this latest application is an ‘on ramp’ to A.I. that will be the ‘tip of the spear’ on the A.I. front similar to the way GSA previously implemented the cloud. 

The Trump administration rolled out its A.I. Action Plan in July after Trump ordered the federal government in January to develop a plan of action for artificial intelligence in order to ‘solidify our position as the global leader in AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans.’ 

Trump has made U.S. A.I. growth a cornerstone of his administration, such as notching multi-billion deals with high-tech firms such as Oracle and OpenAI for the Stargate project, which is an effort to launch large data centers in the U.S, as well as a $90 billion energy and tech investment deal specifically for the state of Pennsylvania to make it the U.S. hub for AI. 

‘USAi means more than access—it’s about delivering a competitive advantage to the American people,’ GSA Deputy Administrator Stephen Ehikian said in press release.

‘The launch of USAi shows how GSA is translating President Trump’s AI strategy into action and accelerating AI adoption across government. USAi will put mission-ready tools directly into the hands of agencies to modernize faster, boost security, and lead globally.’

The A.I. Action Plan includes a three-pillar approach focused on American workers, free speech and protecting U.S.-built technologies. 

‘We want to center America’s workers, and make sure they benefit from AI,’ A.I. and crypto czar David Sacks told the media in July when details of the A.I. plan were made public. 

‘The second is that we believe that AI systems should be free of ideological bias and not be designed to pursue socially engineered agendas,’ Sacks said. ‘And so we have a number of proposals there on how to make sure that AI remains truth-seeking and trustworthy. And then the third principle that cuts across the pillars is that we believe we have to prevent our advanced technologies from being misused or stolen by malicious actors. And we also have to monitor for emerging and unforeseen risks from AI.’

Advancing the federal government’s use of A.I. and expanding employee access are core to the GSA’s efforts to fulfill Trump’s directive to preserve U.S. leadership in the global technology race, GSA Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum explained to Fox Digital in an interview earlier this month. 

‘As we kind of examined the President’s AI action plan, heard the call to action of, ‘Hey, this is a race, and we are going to win this race.’ From our perspective, all that meant, synonymously, was widespread adoption,’ he told Fox Digital of delivering AI to federal employees. 

The rollout of the USAi tool follows GSA announcing earlier in August that OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise is now available to all federal agencies to incorporate into their workflow at $1 per agency. The deal with OpenAI, the tech company behind ChatGPT, is part of GSA’s OneGov Strategy that aims to modernize ‘how the federal government purchases goods and services’ under the Trump administration. 

GSA also notched another deal with A.I. company Anthropic this month providing all three branches of government access to large language model Claude. 

Gruenbaum told Fox News Digital that Thursday’s announcement will be critical for agencies for creating efficiencies to help turn the federal workforce into ‘the most nimble, smart, efficient, agile, and agentically tech-forward workforce out there so that this country can continue to compete and win the AI race.’