US President Donald Trump made a striking slip of the tongue at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, appearing to confuse Iran with Japan while describing a recent missile attack on an American warship.
Seated alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump was responding to a question on whether Europe could manufacture Patriot missile interceptors under licence for Ukraine when he veered into an anecdote about Iran's missile capabilities.
Trump:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 8, 2026
The Islamic Republic of Japan attacked our aircraft carrier. pic.twitter.com/DpxVXvxrr3
'111 Missiles' Remark Meant For Iran, Not Japan
Trump told reporters, "We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan," an apparent reference to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He said the missiles were aimed at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier over about an hour, and that all of them were intercepted, mostly by Patriot defence systems. He used the anecdote to make the case for the effectiveness of Patriot systems, calling them the best defensive weapon available and praising American defence manufacturers, before pivoting to recent US military action against Venezuela.
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Japan, a longstanding US ally since the Second World War, has not been involved in any hostilities with Washington in nearly a century.
Trump's comment comes amid rising tension with Iran following the collapse of a ceasefire and US strikes on Iranian targets, with the president warning of further action, including a possible move to seize Kharg Island and reimpose a blockade on Iran's ports.
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