Ok, it’s the Monday Minefield this week. But I have an excuse that is hard to make up. I am writing this column from the island of Adak, Alaska! It’s for far away it’s in a different time zone. I am not here for the highly anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin. This trip has been planned since June. More on that in a future Landmine article. 

The big news this week in Alaska, and around the world, is the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin that is set to take place somewhere in Alaska on Friday. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Alaska this week touring various facilities and taking questions from the media. Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska) appointed an acting Revenue commissioner after Adam Crum’s departure on August 8. Crum filed a letter of intent to run for governor, something he has been planning for months. And more people filed to run for the Legislature.  

A friendly message and reminder to all our readers. The Landmine is made possible by myself and a team of awesome Alaskans. I have been covering the legislative session in Juneau for the last seven years and returned from Juneau in May. I am in Adak this week working on a story. If you enjoy the content we provide, please consider making a one time or recurring monthly donation. You can click here to donate. We have a system that makes it super easy. We would really appreciate it. And thanks to everyone who has been supportive. 

Big Trump/Putin meeting 

Alaska has hosted some big leaders in the past. Former Governor Bill Walker hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2017. Former President Barack Obama dined at Alice Rogoff’s luxurious Campbell Lake home in 2015. And former President Ronald Reagan met with Pope John Paul II in Fairbanks in 1984. But a Russian leader has never visited Alaska. The closest thing is when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and former Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak visited Fairbanks in 2017 for a meeting of the Arctic Council. 

Putin has not been to the United States since 2015, when he was in New York City for the United Nations. Alaska is a good place for this historic meeting. Russia has a historic and cultural connection to Alaska, not to mention it literally borders Alaska. And the flight from Moscow to Anchorage is nearly the same as the flight from D.C. to Anchorage. 

The main topic for the meeting will be the war in Ukraine. Democrats and many on the left art criticizing the meeting because it will not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although there have been reports that he may be invited. But this war needs to end. And the only way that will happen is if the U.S. and Russia come to a deal. The Europeans do not seem interested in a deal to end the war. In fact, Putin can’t even go to Europe without threat of arrest due to a warrant from the International Criminal Court, something that is not an issues in the United States. 

Trump has become frustrated with Putin due to the war not ending since he took office. Trump has many tools to create big problems for Russia if he chooses, and Putin knows this. Putin recently spoke with the leaders of China, India, Brazilian, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The meeting with Trump was likely discussed with them. The framework of a deal could even already be worked out, and the Alaska meeting is just a formality. 

Zelenskyy has said that the Ukrainians won’t cede any occupied territory. But that’s not realistic. Donbas has been occupied since 2014 and Crimea has been part of Russia since they held a referendum in 2014 after Russia took over. There are many reasons to be unhappy about this, but this is the reality. If Trump cuts a deal with Putin and Zelenskyy does not go along with it, Ukraine will be left to fend for itself along with the Europeans. That won’t end well.

The location of the meeting has still not been announced. All signals point to Anchorage. Alyeska Resort’s calendar is blacked out from August 12-16. An FAA notice has been issues for a VIP in Anchorage on Friday. And sources report that the Secret Service has been contacting real estate companies to vet rentals in Anchorage. It’s possible this is all misdirection, or they plan on coming to Anchorage first and then flying somewhere else. But Anchorage seems to be the most likely place. Accommodations are going to be a challenge in the middle of tourist season, so it may be a short trip for everyone. Check Landmine X for more updates. 

RFK in Alaska 

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Alaska this week. He spent time in Anchorage touring the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), Fairbanks, and said he was going fishing in the Kenai. He held a press conference at ANTHC with Senators Lisa Murkowski (R – Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R – Alaska) and ANTHC President/CEO Natasha Singh. You can watch the livestream from KTUU here.  

Most the the reporters went unoriginal and asked about vaccines. I actually got the first question. I asked about the high and increasing cost of healthcare in Alaska, something that our leaders always talk about but never do anything about. I mentioned I am on the exchange and had my appendix out two years ago, which nearly cost $50,000 for a day in the hospital. My out of pocket deductible is around $10,000.

I also mentioned how many companies send their people out of state for surgeries because it’s often still cheaper after airfare and lodging. He was honest and said he did not have the answer and that healthcare costs are continuing to rise at a high rate nationwide. But he did say something that hit the nail on the head. The rate of chronic sickness in the United States, and many other countries, has risen precipitously since his uncle, John F. Kennedy, was president. Preventative care is a key into lowering costs and making us all healthier. 

But the most interesting question came from reporter Liz Whyte from the Wall Street Journal. She asked about his father’s, Robert F. Kennedy, love for Alaska Native people and how that shapes his job. He gave a long answer about his dad’s commitment to not just Alaska Natives, but also Hawaiians and American Indians. He spoke of his long history in Alaska, including time he spent in Arctic Village. He told a story about how when he was there they told him his uncle Ted Kennedy once came though in the middle of winter on a dog sled. He said his uncle picked up some of the work his father was doing on Indian issues after he was assassinated in 1968. He also said he was a founding editor of Indian Country Today.

He also joked that Murkowski was skeptical of voting for him but after he told her about his history and deep commitment to Alaska nd Alaska Native people and their health, she decided to vote for him.  

It was a real pleasure hearing and listening to him speak. He did not dodge any questions and was calm and polite to everyone. Alaska is lucky to have him serving as Health Secretary. Also, good on Senator Sullivan’s office for setting up that press conference. It was long enough for reporters to ask questions and get real answers. 

I was even able to get a photo with him! 

Other Happenings 

Former Representative Dan Ortiz filed to run for a one-year seat on the Ketchikan Borough Assembly and the Legislature! He did not indicate House or Senate, but it’s more likely he tries to get his House seat back. He opted not to run for re-election last year for health reasons but is planning a comeback. This Landmine article has more information. 

Representative DeLena Johnson (R – Palmer) filed a letter of intent. She did not indicate an office, meaning she could choose to run for Senator Shelley Hughes’ (R – Palmer) Senate seat. But Representative Cathy Tilton (R – Wasilla), a former speaker, may also be going for that seat. My bet is if Tilton announces, Johnson will stay in her House seat.    

Crooked Adam Crum is the eighth Republican to file to run for governor. Trust me, his candidacy will be entertaining for us all. Dunleavy appointed Janelle Earls, someone not in his inner circle, as acting Revenue commissioner. It’s going to be tough to find a qualified person to take the job as Dunleavy’s term ends in December 2026, and the whole mess with the Department of Revenue oil and gas tax audit casting a shadow. 

Lisa Murkowski may also jump into the governor’s race. Several sources report that many of her close advisors are encouraging her to run for governor because they fear ranked choice voting will be repealed next year. She’s up for re-election in 2028. If the open primary and ranked choice voting are repealed, she will have a tough time if she decides to run for re-election. 

And this too! It will be very interesting to see what Mary Peltola decides to do. She’s making a ton of money at Holland & Hart (I heard $400,000 plus commission for work she brings in). It might be hard to leave that gig to run for office. 

This Week’s Loose Unit 

This week was a no-brainer. This week’s Loose Unit is Tlingit & President Richard Peterson. All you need to do is read this Landmine article to see just how horrible this guy is, “Tlingit & Haida President Richard Peterson’s history of intimidation tactics exposed.” And there is more to come. 

If you have a nomination for this week’s Loose Unit, or if you have any political news, stories or gossip (or any old pics of politicians or public officials) please email me at jeff@alaskalandmine.com.