Trump calls Iran 'Islamic Republic of Japan' at NATO summit

On July 8, 2026, at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump addressed reporters alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While describing a missile incident involving the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, Trump said, “We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan.” The statement confused Japan with Iran, the nation actually responsible for the earlier missile barrage that U.S. Central Command said missed the carrier. Trump also mistakenly referred to Zelensky as “President Putin” before correcting himself. The gaffe spread quickly on social media and was cited by commentators as evidence of the 80‑year‑old president’s declining cognitive sharpness, renewing debate over his fitness for office. The White House did not issue a clarification, but fact‑checkers confirmed Trump had misspoken and was likely referring to an Iranian attack that was denied by U.S. officials. The incident added to ongoing scrutiny of Trump’s health and raised questions about his communication style during a high‑profile international gathering.