One of the most important geopolitical conferences of the year took place in Anchorage, Alaska, at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson on August 15, where Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. President Donald Trump. While the high-stakes talks did not result in a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, what truly captured the world’s imagination wasn’t diplomacy — but rather, Putin’s now-infamous “poop suitcase”. Yes, you read that right.
According to reports, during the 2025 Alaska summit, Putin’s bodyguards were seen carrying a mysterious briefcase — one that allegedly holds the Russian president’s waste. The reasoning? To prevent foreign powers from collecting and analysing his stool for clues about his health.
Investigative reporters have suggested this practice isn’t new. As revealed by Paris Match, members of Russia’s Federal Protection Service (FSO) have long been tasked with the delicate job of collecting and sealing Putin’s bodily waste in special packets, storing them in a suitcase, and flying them back to Moscow. Similar measures were said to have been in place during his visits to France in 2017 and Saudi Arabia in 2019.
Journalist Farida Rustamova has also noted that the president even used a portable toilet during a trip to Vienna. “She said that a source revealed the president has carried out the practice since he began his leadership in 1999,” The Express US reported.
The internet reacts
The bizarre revelation has left the internet in stitches. One user joked: “Flush twice, why bother carrying it?” Another added: “Missed opportunity not calling this a poopcase.” Someone else wondered aloud, “After analysing, do they sell it or bury it deep in the sea??” And the mockery didn’t stop there. As another quipped: “Trump bragged he got deals from Putin… bro, you didn’t even get his poop. The bodyguards packed it back to Moscow.” And perhaps the sharpest jab yet: “Other presidents carry nuclear codes while Putin carries yesterday’s lunch in a locked suitcase.” Some netizens kept it simple: “Bro really overthinked everything.” Another declared him a “man of culture.” And one summed it up with: “Geopolitics 2025: Who controls the poop, controls the narrative.”
{{/usCountry}}The bizarre revelation has left the internet in stitches. One user joked: “Flush twice, why bother carrying it?” Another added: “Missed opportunity not calling this a poopcase.” Someone else wondered aloud, “After analysing, do they sell it or bury it deep in the sea??” And the mockery didn’t stop there. As another quipped: “Trump bragged he got deals from Putin… bro, you didn’t even get his poop. The bodyguards packed it back to Moscow.” And perhaps the sharpest jab yet: “Other presidents carry nuclear codes while Putin carries yesterday’s lunch in a locked suitcase.” Some netizens kept it simple: “Bro really overthinked everything.” Another declared him a “man of culture.” And one summed it up with: “Geopolitics 2025: Who controls the poop, controls the narrative.”
{{/usCountry}}But beneath the humour lies serious speculation. For years, questions have swirled around Putin’s health, particularly after footage last year showed him jerking his legs during a press conference in Kazakhstan. Dr. Bob Berookhim, speaking to The Express US, suggested the behaviour might indicate a neurological disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.
Still, for much of the internet, the image of a world leader’s bodyguards dutifully hauling a poop suitcase overshadows everything else. As one witty comment put it best: “Being in power comes at a great cost.”