The death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has exposed deep divides within the Republican Party over Vladimir Putin's repressive governance. President Biden explicitly condemned Putin's 'brutality' in Navalny's death, yet former President Trump's conspiratorial response ignored Putin's role, warning instead of America's own destruction by the left. This stark contrast has birthed warnings of an emergent 'Putin wing' of the GOP, as vocal figures like Tucker Carlson and J.D. Vance express admiration for Putin's nationalistic authoritarianism. While GOP mainstream still backs Ukraine against Russian aggression, a faction praises Putin's strongman traditionalism as 'anti-woke' leadership for the right to follow. The growing rift over Putin sympathy spotlights an ideological battle embroiling Republicans with major foreign policy implications on the line.