Trump calls Japan the 'Islamic Republic of Japan' in NATO remarks

cultureJul 9, 2026221,786

At a NATO summit press session in Ankara on July 8, 2026, President Donald Trump said "We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan," claiming those missiles were fired at the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and largely intercepted by Patriot systems. Trump appeared to be describing an earlier attack by Iranian forces but instead misattributed the strike to Japan, a U.S. ally that has not fought the United States in nearly a century. While seated beside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump also asked reporters if they had "a question for President Putin," prompting laughter in the room. Speaking alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump declared the ceasefire his negotiators struck with the Islamic Republic of Iran to be over, called Iranian leaders "scum," and said the U.S. might "probably hit Iran hard again tonight." The article notes U.S. Central Command said it struck more than 60 IRGC small boats and Washington revoked a license allowing Iran to sell oil; Iranian media reported explosions on Kharg Island, Qeshm Island, Sirik, and Bandar Abbas. Trump also suggested the U.S. could try to seize Kharg Island and reinstate a blockade on Tehran's ports.

Forbes

@forbes.com

Trump also referred to the “Islamic Republic of Iran” as the “Islamic Republic of Japan.”

136619h ago

whyiotter.bsky.social47

"Gaffe". Pretty tame language for a man with dementia destroying our credibility with foreign nations.

zitronenjette1.bsky.social41

Your President has dementia, Mitch McConnell is MIA, your Vice President claims to be a simpleton, the Speaker of the House never knows what’s going on,…and in the meantime all the rich are lining their pockets.

Marcus Lupo30

Calling dementia “gaffes” is malpractice.

kidjo2.bsky.social28

Hey Forbes, how does one go about ‘seemingly’ calling someone something? Either trump called Zelensky Putin or he didn’t. There are recordings, FCS. Do better!

MKY19

Remember when Trump mercilessly mocks Biden for these kind of slip ups. Time to throw this continuously in Trump’s face.

Amy Oddo✌🏻💙☀️16

“Seemingly”????😳😳😳 Are you f’ing kidding me? They several mistakes! #Unfit

Quoting this

lilmommaprods8

The kawaiiatollah faced mecha and prayed

Hawkeye 🚫👑 💙👊🏼7

Dear 25th Amendment: Just what is the point of you?

Over educated5

Who's old & stupid now #FauxNews Murdoch media are trying to re-brand or re-image themselves but having one's nose up so far DJT's arse there is no going back! People are now really talking if he's morally & mentally fit bcz we all know he's corrupt as fuck! Wasted more $ on faux AFOne to NATO conf!

Tired, leaky brain.4

Twice. Z was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

Navy Man (descendant of ANTIFA since the revolution)3

The Islamic Republic of Japan...

BRIAN FUNNAGAN3

PUTIN SAYS HE WANTS ME TO COLLAPSE OUR ECONOMY OR HE WILL RELEASE THE KOMPROMAT PEE PEE TAPES.

Acid Rain3

If this were Biden, the whole nation would be in an uproar with a majority of the voters threatening to vote for Trump.. ..which got us to where we are now. 😐😞🤦‍♀️

Mamoan2

At what point does the media and everyone have to admit it’s dementia and not a “gaffe”…

Election_Every2

EDITORS OF @wsj.com @cnbc.com @financialtimes.com @theintercept.com @militarytimes.bsky.social @pbsnews.org @frontlinepbs.bsky.social @nytimes.com

Mwangangi, RN2

oh that grey matter is fricasseed...

Purple Teacher

@peaceandteachin.bsky.social

Trump called Iran “The Islamic Republic of Japan” in a press conference with Zelenskyy. Add this to his wandering away from Erdogan and having to be redirected and falling asleep during another press conference. His brain is mush. #ProudBlue#Voices4Victory #OneV1 www.rawstory.com/his-brain-is...

17819h ago

Kat, The Oracle Near Delphi Falls, a maven of funk mutation3

Phonemic substitution anomia, Articulatory initiation anomia and clanging. Too many people worry if it's tertiary syphilis, Alzheimer's or Mania. What if it's all three? YAY!!

Marie 🇨🇦3

He also called Zelensky President Putin twice! I saw the video clip! He’s unfit and getting worse every day!

Josh T.1

Next stop the "Weekend at Bernie's" presidency

Otis Redfoot1

Or as they say in the MAGAverse Trump 2028!!!

Foreversideways1

He thinks it’s Pearl Harbour again

Arthur Snell

@snellarthur.bsky.social

The Islamic Republic of Japan, a counterfactual history. Islam's first arrival in Japan is lost to history, but the first converts were probably the work of an Arab sailor who sailed with a Portuguese fleet in the sixteenth century. 1

523h ago

Quoting this

hush3

1 You seem very knowledgeable about our country's history; however, it is possible that Islam was introduced to Japan even earlier than the 16th century. 630-894, Japan dispatched envoys to the Tang Dynasty and actively adopted its culture and artifacts.

Mr Market Miscalculates 🇪🇺🇺🇦🏴‍☠️

@mrmarketmis.bsky.social

The Islamic Republic of Japan has closed the Strait of Hormuz again (cc: @usdhuga.bsky.social)

Godzilla in the middle of the Strait of Hormuz

373h ago

bdonnelly

@bdonnelly.bsky.social

“Wait… I’m hearing something… oh he’s calling it the Islamic Republic of Japan again. Oh, he’s calling Rubio over to him. He wants Rubio to… it’s distorted a bit…he wants Rubio to go get him McDonald’s. Rubio is explaining they are flying. Trump seems confused. Tell the Qataris this is bullshit…”

283h ago

Faith 🌊🥷🏌️‍♀️

@faith54.bsky.social

So …. A Fox entertainment goat just said ‘President Trump was respectful and quiet with his NATO allies … here’s the thing … HE WAS ASLEEP and then referred to Iran as scum, then to really top it off … referred to the Islamic Republic of Japan! Yeah … things went well!

143h ago

Bruce Wilson

@brucewilson.bsky.social

In case you missed it, yesterday Trump declared that the "Islamic Republic of Japan" had just launched multiple missiles at a US aircraft carrier. He also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (sitting next to Trump) "president Putin".

152h ago

leftynavyseal.bsky.social

@leftynavyseal.bsky.social

MSNow: At the NATO summit in Turkey, a demented Trump praised Turkey’s dictator, referred to Zelensky as “President Putin”, claimed the Islamic Republic of Japan fired 111 missiles, referred to Obama’s JCPOA as “JCPOC”, and claimed yet again that a deal ending his Iran War was “on the horizon”.

172h ago

Veronica 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 🇺🇦 🇳🇴 🇲🇽 🇩🇪 🇨🇦 🍁

@vero1986.bsky.social

"Internet jumps on Trump after his gaffes at NATO meetings: ‘His brain is mush’. Democratic lawmakers mocked Trump for mistakenly calling Iran the ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’" he is so stupid www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

1115h ago

Paul van der Meer

@paulvandermeer.bsky.social

Tr*mp on his last trip, - said he has been president three times, - called President Zelensky Putin, while Zelensky was sitting next to him, and - said “the Islamic Republic of Japan"

81h ago

NYCBlueLady

@newyorkcitygirl.bsky.social

Trump says 'Islamic Republic of Japan' fired missiles at US ship. - USA Today This F—KING bastard needs to be removed from office! He, L’il Mikey Johnson & Fake Christian Rubio are slyly planning to not uphold the Birthright decision made by his own SCOTUS! The sky is falling! @scotusblog.com

62h ago

🇺🇸𝕀𝕟𝕕𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕘𝕖𝕖🇺🇸𝚍𝚞𝚖𝙱 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝙳

@indyrefugee.bsky.social

I stand with the Islamic Republic of Japan, mostly while in line for Halal sushi.

101h ago

Cynthia

@cynthia13.bsky.social

In a gaffe-filled press conference at the NATO Summit today, Trump told Zelenskyy, the US would give Ukraine the license to produce Patriot missiles. Trump hadn’t yet informed defence manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

412h ago

mr-yoyito.bsky.social

@mr-yoyito.bsky.social

Had my daily morning talk with Mitch McConnell. He’s been vacationing at the Islamic Republic of Japan. Yesterday he toured a famous Shinto Mosque, had sushi kebabs and watched Pahlavāni Sumo.

81h ago

Salty

@saltoearth.bsky.social

Google AI says… “Yes, President Donald Trump did say "the Islamic Republic of Japan". He made the gaffe while speaking to the press alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026”

913h ago

3 sources

usatoday.comTrump says 'Islamic Republic of Japan' fired missiles at US ship asahi.comTrump recounts missile attack by ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis jang.com.pkIslamic Republic of Japan: Trump's gaffe-filled NATO presser sparks reactions

Trump calls Japan the 'Islamic Republic of Japan' in NATO remarksculture Restore Britain leader calls Dunblane 'one murder' on Joe Rogan podcastculture

Trump calls Japan the 'Islamic Republic of Japan' in NATO remarks

Related