Trump Suffers Double Slip at NATO Summit, Calling Zelenskyy 'Putin' and Iran the 'Islamic Republic of Japan'

United States President Donald Trump has at times made references that are not accurate. At the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara Turkey, the 80 year old had several lapses that unsurprisingly drew criticism and opportunities for haters to feast on his mistakes online.

Among the remarks the POTUS said included confusing Iran and Japan. At the Summit, Trump said to reporters that 'the Islamic Republic of Japan' launched 111 missiles at a US air carrier. However, it appeared he was actually referring to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Lawmakers noticed the inconsistent remarks of Trump and reacted to the US President's mistake. Among them was Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, pointing out how the rambling and unhinged confusing performance of the POTUS was embarrassing especially since it was made on the world stage.

However, that gaffe wasn't the only erroneous one that came out of Trump's mouth. Seated beside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the US President asked reporters if they had questions for the person beside him. The only problem was that instead of Zelensky, Trump referred to him as Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.

Initially, most thought Trump was joking. However, he referred to Zelensky as Putin anew and said he'd take any questions for Putin to the Russian leader himself.

'Do you have a question for President Putin?' Trump said while seated next to Zelensky. 'Do you have a question for President Putin? Not Zelensky. What would you like to ask him, because I'm going to ask him that question.'

Mixups Are Nothing New

Although the statements of Trump were embarrassing, it was not the first time that a US President had done so. In fact, former US President Joe Biden made a similar mistake and at the same event.

This happened at the 2024 NATO Summit with Biden mistakingly introducing Zelensky as 'President Putin' before later correcting his error.

However, Biden made another slipup, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as 'Vice President Donald Trump'. On other occasions, Biden also mixed up the names of world leaders and countries.

One thing in common that Biden and Trump had is that both were either nearing or in their 80s. The slip ups have resulted in critics questioning if elected leaders at that age are fit to office.

As for Trump, the latest round of errors have once again raised questions on his health and cognitive abilities. Trump supporters and administration allies have repeatedly rebuked those claims. Most would point to the physical examinations or cognitive test results as proof.

With regards to his wrong references or wordings, some contend that his often unscripted and digressive speaking style is a long-standing characteristic rather than a sign of decline.

White House Stands By Trump's Performance

Beyond those slip ups, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed confidence that the United States accomplished what it was aiming for at the NATO Summit. She believes that despite the criticism on the POTUS, Trump left NATO with a more united free world.

'President Trump delivered a marathon, high-energy performance at the NATO summit, holding four separate press availabilities plus a solo press conference and taking unscripted questions from reporters on a wide range of topics. The President commanded every room, gave our allies some much-needed tough love,' Leavitt said.

On whether Leavitt's observation and statements truly made a difference remains to be seen. But right now, the mixups that Trump made have once again raised questions about his health and on whether he is truly fit to be in office.