Sensitive Papers Left Behind After Trump-Putin Summit

Papers left behind after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s Alaska meeting may have exposed fresh details about their private discussions.

The leaders met on August 15 in Anchorage to discuss a potential peace deal amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The high-profile summit drew intense media attention, with both leaders’ jets arriving on the red carpet. During the handshake, Trump reportedly “yanked” Putin, drawing immediate notice.

After a three-hour discussion, the presidents held a 12-minute press conference. They announced no formal agreement was reached but claimed progress toward one.

Discovery of the Documents

Unexpectedly, eight documents surfaced in an Alaskan hotel, revealing previously undisclosed summit details. NPR reported the papers carried US State Department markings and were found Friday morning in the hotel business center. Staff reportedly left them in a public printer.

Three hotel guests discovered the documents and photographed them anonymously before sending them to NPR. The first page included specific room names in the Anchorage base and noted Trump planned to gift Putin an “American Bald Eagle Desk Statue.”

Alleged Sensitive Details

While White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly downplayed the papers as a “multi-page lunch menu” and denied a security breach, the remaining pages allegedly contained more sensitive information. Pages two through five reportedly listed:

• Names and phone numbers of three US staff members

• Names of 13 state leaders from the US and Russia

• Russian officials attending the summit, with pronunciation notes

Lunch Plans and Seating Arrangements

Pages six and seven detailed a formal lunch intended “in honor of his excellency Vladimir Putin,” including a seating chart. Trump was reportedly flanked by six officials: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff.

Putin was listed next to his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. The menu, although later canceled, reportedly included a salad, filet mignon, halibut Olympia, and crème brûlée.

Questions Remain

The discovery has raised questions about how sensitive summit details were left in a public space. While officials downplay the breach, the incident highlights potential lapses in handling classified or confidential materials during high-profile diplomatic events.