"We own the USS Abraham Lincoln, one of the world's largest aircraft carriers. A few months ago, it was targeted by the Islamic Republic of Japan with 111 missiles," US President Donald Trump told reporters on 8/7/2026. He made the statement while meeting Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey. Trump added that the missiles were launched within one hour and US forces intercepted them all.
Trump's remarks quickly highlighted a clear confusion between Iran and Japan. Iran, a Middle Eastern nation, has been in conflict with the US since late February. Though Iran has claimed to launch missiles or drones targeting the USS Abraham Lincoln, the US Navy has consistently stated these actions did not impact the ship's operations. In contrast, Japan is a long-standing US ally in East Asia.
Trump confused Iran with Japan. Video: CNN
Trump's gaffes extended beyond geographical confusion. Shortly after, he puzzled reporters by asking, "Do you have any questions for President Putin?" while gesturing towards Zelensky. When a reporter pointed out the error, Trump clarified that he meant he could relay any questions for the Russian president when he met the Kremlin leader. This incident echoed a similar mistake at the 2024 NATO summit, where then-US President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Zelensky as "President Putin." In further media interactions, Trump also appeared to refer to the popular short-video app TikTok as "Tic Tac" and described Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as the leader of "a great company" before correcting himself to "great country."
 |
US President Donald Trump in Ankara, Turkey on 8/7/2026. Photo: AP
These repeated errors raised concerns about President Trump's health, particularly as he had just turned 80 on 14/6/2026. Democrats quickly criticized his performance, calling his remarks "rambling, incoherent, and full of confusion." Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the situation as "an embarrassment for America on the international stage."
In response to the gaffes, the White House stated that President Trump had an intense workday at the NATO summit. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained, "The president participated in four press engagements, held a separate press conference, and spontaneously answered many reporter questions on a wide range of topics."
The White House also released the results of the president's physical examination in late May, where doctors concluded he was "fully fit" to perform all duties as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State. As part of this assessment, Trump underwent the Montreal cognitive assessment, a 10-minute screening test for mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia. His doctors reported that the president achieved a perfect score of 30.
By Nhu Tam (USA Today, National News)
