Donald Trump told a room full of NATO leaders that America's aircraft carrier had come under fire from the 'Islamic Republic of Japan', a nation that has not fired a shot at the United States since 1945.
The 80-year-old president made the remark on 8 July 2026 during a press appearance in Ankara, Turkey, seated alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He appeared to be describing an Iranian missile barrage aimed at the USS Abraham Lincoln, but repeatedly substituted Japan for Iran without correcting himself. The gaffe has reignited a long-running debate over the ageing president's mental sharpness.
