President Donald Trump, 80, made two embarrassing gaffes during a live press conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. He mistakenly referred to Iran as the 'Islamic Republic of Japan' and called Zelensky 'President Putin.'
Missiles from 'Islamic Republic of Japan'
Trump described an attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East. He said, '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. 111 missiles going to a very expensive ship, and every one of those missiles was knocked down, pretty much most by patriots, but by other means also.'
The attack was actually carried out by Iran, which has been trading strikes with US forces since February. Trump confused Iran with Japan, a country not involved in conflict with the US since World War II.
Zelensky Called 'President Putin'
Moments later, Trump asked reporters if they had 'a question for President Putin,' referring to Zelensky, who was sitting beside him. The comment sparked laughter from the press. Trump attempted to save face by repeating himself and suggesting he would take the question to the Russian leader.
This is not the first time Zelensky has been confused with Putin by a US president. In 2035, President Joe Biden introduced Zelensky as 'President Putin' at a NATO summit.
Ceasefire Declared Over
Trump's gaffes came hours after he declared the ceasefire between the US and Iran (not Japan) was over. The US launched strikes on Iran following attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump called Iranian leaders 'scum' and vowed the US would 'probably hit Iran hard again tonight.'
The US military said it struck more than 60 small craft belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships.
Market Impact
The news caused oil prices to rise and stock markets to drop worldwide. The S&P 500 fell 0.8%, the Dow Jones dropped 1.4%, and Brent crude climbed 7.2% to $79.48 per barrel.
