From 'Sleepy Joe' To Viral Gaffes: Trump Calls Zelenskyy 'Putin', Iran As 'Islamic Republic Of Japan'

Last Updated:July 09, 2026, 09:19 IST

Donald Trump's "President Putin" and "Islamic Republic of Japan" remarks at the NATO summit went viral, renewing scrutiny over his latest verbal gaffes.

US President Donald Trump, who spent years attacking former President Joe Biden over verbal stumbles and branding him “Sleepy Joe", is now facing fresh scrutiny after a series of remarks at the NATO Summit that quickly went viral across social media.

During a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump mistakenly referred to the Ukrainian leader as “President Putin" while also describing Iran as the “Islamic Republic of Japan" during another part of his remarks.

The clips have reignited debate over the Republican leader’s public speaking mistakes, with critics drawing comparisons to the attacks Trump himself frequently levelled at Biden.

The comments came during Trump’s interactions with reporters on the sidelines of the NATO Summit.

Videos of both moments were widely circulated online, with users sharing and dissecting the remarks across social media platforms.

Supporters largely dismissed them as routine slips of the tongue, while critics argued they add to a growing list of high-profile verbal mix-ups involving the US President.

The irony has not been lost on political observers. Throughout the 2020 and 2024 election campaigns, Trump repeatedly questioned Biden’s age and cognitive sharpness, using nicknames such as “Sleepy Joe" to portray his Democratic rival as mentally unfit for office.

Now, Trump’s own remarks are drawing similar scrutiny, particularly as he is the oldest person to begin a second term as US President.

‘DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR PRESIDENT PUTIN?’

The first viral moment came while Trump was seated beside Zelenskyy during a media interaction.

Pointing toward the Ukrainian President, Trump asked reporters, “Do you have a question for President Putin? Do you have a question for President Putin?"

After a reporter replied, “Not so much for Putin," Trump continued, “What would you like to ask him? Because I’m going to ask him that question."

Trump appeared to realise the mistake moments later and corrected himself, but the exchange had already spread widely online.

The episode was particularly striking because Zelenskyy was sitting immediately beside him when the remarks were made.

‘ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF JAPAN’

In another widely shared clip from the same Summit, Trump was discussing what he described as an Iranian missile attack on the USS Abraham Lincoln when he mistakenly named Japan instead of Iran.

“We have an aircraft carrier which is one of the most beautiful in the world. It’s one of the biggest, the Abraham Lincoln. And a few months ago, we had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan," Trump said.

The context of his remarks made it clear he was referring to Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran, not Japan, a close US ally.

The verbal slip quickly became one of the day’s most-discussed moments online.

NOT THE FIRST TIME

The latest incidents add to a series of public mistakes Trump has made during speeches, campaign events and interviews over the years.

Among the more widely reported examples, Trump has incorrectly stated on multiple occasions that his father, Fred Trump, was born in Germany, although public records show he was born in New York.

During the NATO event, Trump also referred to Iran’s Supreme Leader using the name “Khomeini" instead of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, another mistake highlighted by international media.

Reports have also pointed to instances where Trump has cited exaggerated or mathematically impossible figures in speeches, including claims that prescription drug prices had fallen by “600 or 700 per cent" under his administration, a statement economists and fact-checkers have disputed.

SUPPORTERS CALL THEM HARMLESS SLIPS

Meanwhile, Trump’s allies have dismissed the latest remarks as ordinary verbal slips that can occur during lengthy, unscripted public appearances.

They argue that nearly every modern US President has made similar mistakes and point to Trump’s demanding schedule of rallies, meetings and international travel as evidence of his stamina.

Critics, however, say the frequency of such incidents has become harder to ignore.

Some commentators and Democratic voices have once again referenced the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, which outlines a process for transferring presidential powers if a president is unable to discharge official duties.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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