Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
US President Donald Trump found himself at the centre of another viral moment on Wednesday after he appeared to mistakenly refer to Iran as the “Islamic Republic of Japan” during a speech at the NATO summit. The gaffe came as he discussed US military operations and rising tensions with Tehran.
He made the remark during a Q&A session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday. Trump was responding to a question about whether the US would allow Ukraine to produce its own Patriot missile interceptors when he shifted to discussing the effectiveness of American air defence systems.
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As he praised the Patriot missile system, Trump recalled an attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan. They were shot at the aircraft carrier over a period of about one hour,” Trump said.
The US President appeared to be referring to the Islamic Republic of Iran, not Japan. Clips of the exchange quickly spread across social media, with many users pointing out the apparent mix-up.
TRUMP APPEARS TO CONFUSE JAPAN WITH IRAN
Trump made the remark while explaining why he considers Patriot missiles one of America’s most effective defensive weapons.
“We have an aircraft carrier, which is one of the most beautiful in the world. It’s one of the biggest, the Abraham Lincoln,” he said before describing the alleged missile attack.
Japan, one of the United States’ closest allies, is a constitutional monarchy and has enjoyed close security ties with Washington for decades. It is not officially linked to Islam. Iran, meanwhile, is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran.
REFERENCE TO USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN CLAIMS
Trump appeared to be referring to Iranian claims made earlier this year that the USS Abraham Lincoln had come under missile attack.
Meanwhile, Iran said it had targeted the aircraft carrier during rising tensions in the region. However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected those claims and said the vessel had not been hit.
During the same exchange, Trump returned to his criticism of Tehran, claiming that US military operations had severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
“Their navy’s gone, their air force is gone, everything’s gone,” he said.
TRUMP RENEWS THREATS AGAINST IRAN
Alongside the apparent slip-up, Trump struck a combative tone towards Tehran and said the United States will step up military action.
He warned that Washington could expand its attacks if necessary, saying the US had deliberately avoided targeting some of Iran’s most critical infrastructure.
“We’re not attacking at the highest level,” Trump said. “Their electric plants… If we have to, we’ll take them out. I don’t want to do that, but if we have to, we’ll take them out.”
Trump also referred to Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, suggesting the US could intensify operations there.
“We attacked Kharg Island last night… We may take over Kharg Island. There’s not a thing they can do about it,” he said.
The US President also dismissed prospects for a lasting agreement with Tehran, declaring that the interim peace deal was effectively finished.
“It’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” Trump said, although he added that US negotiators could continue talks if they wished.
LATEST IN A SERIES OF HIGH-PROFILE VERBAL SLIPS
The Japan-Iran mix-up is the latest in a string of high-profile verbal slips involving Trump during 2026.
Earlier at the same NATO summit, he mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian President Vladimir Putin before quickly correcting himself and joking that he would “take questions” to Putin instead.
Trump has also drawn attention this year for briefly confusing the names of senior officials during campaign and public events, moments that have regularly gone viral online and fuelled political debate over his health.
The incident also revived comparisons with a widely discussed moment involving former President Joe Biden during the 2024 NATO summit in Washington. Biden accidentally introduced Zelenskyy as Putin before immediately correcting himself.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
