Trump Calls Iran 'Islamic Republic of Japan' at NATO Summit

During a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, U.S. President Donald Trump made a significant verbal gaffe, referring to Iran as the "Islamic Republic of Japan" while discussing the Patriot air defense system.

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Now a few months ago, 111 missiles were launched by the Islamic Republic of Japan.

Trump lauded the Patriot system as one of the "best in the world." He then recounted an incident where he claimed 111 missiles were launched by the "Islamic Republic of Japan," intending to refer to Iran. He described the missiles being fired towards an aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln, over approximately an hour, and stated that all were intercepted. This statement appeared to reference the conflict with Iran.

This is not the first instance of the U.S. president making notable verbal errors or confusing country names. In September 2025, he claimed to have ended a war between Armenia and Cambodia, when he likely meant Armenia and Azerbaijan. On another occasion in the UK, he stated he had resolved a conflict between Azerbaijan, mispronouncing the country's name, and Albania. Reports indicated this was the third time in weeks he had confused Armenia with Albania.

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It is a defensive weapon, which I prefer to an offensive weapon.

Further examples of his verbal slips include referring to Alaska as "Russia" during a trip and incorrectly stating in 2025 that former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had helped expel Russia from the G8, despite Trudeau not yet being in office when Russia was suspended in 2014. In February 2026, he presented Romania's President Nicușor Dan as prime minister at a Washington Peace Council. Additionally, in 2025, Trump presented a Reuters image from the Democratic Republic of Congo as supposed evidence of the mass killing of white South Africans.

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It is the best. As I was saying, we have an aircraft carrier that is among the most beautiful in the world. It is one of the most imposing: Abraham Lincoln. And a few months ago... I told the story yesterday: 111 missiles were launched by the Islamic Republic of Japan.