The differing reactions from President Biden and former President Trump to Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's death in custody reveal a growing rift within the Republican Party over attitudes toward Vladimir Putin's authoritarianism. While Biden condemned Putin's brutality, Trump's response ignored Navalny and Putin while attacking America itself. The contrast shows an emerging "pro-Putin wing" of the GOP exemplified by figures like Tucker Carlson and J.D. Vance who admire Putin's strongman nationalism. Meanwhile other Republicans warn embracing Putinist sympathies could carry real dangers if such views influence American foreign policy. The divide spotlights an ideological battle for the soul of conservative politics.