Smerconish Takes On Critics of Trump’s Red Carpet Putin Welcome: ‘As If He Should Have Kneed Him In The Groin!’

Jennifer Bowers Bahney Aug 16th, 2025, 5:00 pm

CNN’s Michael Smerconish wasn’t buying critics’ arguments that President Donald Trump should not have rolled out a literal red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin when the two met in Alaska.

Putin touched down at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage Friday and walked down a red carpet placed on the tarmac on his way to greet Trump. As the two leaders met up, Trump applauded Putin and shook his hand warmly before welcoming the Russian president to ride with him in the presidential SUV known as “The Beast.”

Critics were aghast at the congenial welcome, posting on social media that an “autocratic war cr

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