Trump Coins New Nation At NATO Meet While Discussing Iran: ‘Islamic Republic Of Japan’

Last Updated:July 08, 2026, 19:23 IST

Trump also suggested that the United States could launch further strikes against Iran amid escalating tensions following recent exchanges of attacks between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump appeared to mix up Iran and Japan during his remarks at the NATO summit, referring to the “Islamic Republic of Japan" while discussing a missile attack on a US aircraft carrier.

“We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan. They shot our aircraft carrier (USS Abraham Lincoln) over one hour and every one of them was knocked down," Trump said.

Trump appeared to be referring to Iran, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Iran. His remarks quickly drew attention on social media, with clips of the apparent gaffe circulating widely online.

Trump also suggested that the United States could launch further strikes against Iran amid escalating tensions following recent exchanges of attacks between the two countries.

“We’re not attacking at the highest level. The highest level are the bridges… their electric plants, where they make their electricity. If we have to, we’ll take them out. I don’t want to do that, but if we have to, we’ll take them out," he said.

Accusing Iran of dragging its feet on a potential agreement, Trump also made remarks about Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub in the Persian Gulf.

“We attacked Kharg Island last night—we knocked out a piece. I said, ‘don’t touch the oil’ because maybe we’ll take over Kharg Island. We may take over Kharg Island. There’s not a thing they can do about it… normally, I’m not that way, but they really deserve it," he said.

About the Author

Saurabh VermaSenior Sub-editor

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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