Trump-Putin press conference: POTUS's ‘power move’ revealed amid height speculation

Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to hold a joint press conference after their three-hour marathon meeting in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday

Published on: Aug 16, 2025, 04:17:52 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to hold a joint press conference after their three-hour marathon meeting in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday, the Kremlin confirmed. This comes as CNN's Chief White House correspondent reported that there is ‘some quick movement here in Anchorage and the press has assembled for the news conference’.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump walk on the tarmac (via REUTERS)

Just before the press conference, a body language expert revealed Trump's ‘power move’. Patty Ann Wood, speaking to Newsweek, said that their handshake was a blend of ‘deference, control, and familiarity’, with both leaders making calculated moves.

Trump-Putin handshake

“Trump typically likes to have his hand on top. Still, he uses a signature Trump move: keeping the handshake tight to his mid-body to pull the other person in, a display of power,” she told the publication.

Speculation on Putin's height

Meanwhile, there was strange speculation about Putin's height as he stood next to Trump.

"Ok so Putin is supposed to be 5'7". I'm going to be a need a full height analysis of this photo by COB today," one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“The microphones at the podiums for the Trump-Putin presser are at VERY different heights...” another one added.

Putin dodges questions

After Putin arrived on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn't hear them.

Trump and Putin then shared the US presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin's discussions, and Ukraine's president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”

“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war," he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”

(With AP inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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