Trump confuses Iran, Japan in missile attack claim at NATO summit

President Trump appeared to mix up Iran and Japan Wednesday while describing a missile attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier, telling reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that 111 missiles had been fired at the USS Abraham Lincoln by the “Islamic Republic of Japan.”

Seated alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mr. Trump made the remark while fielding a question about whether Europe would be permitted to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors under license for Ukraine. He pivoted into an anecdote about the Abraham Lincoln, which he called “one of the most beautiful [carriers] in the world,” according to a Mediaite report on the exchange. 

“And a few months ago, I told this story yesterday. We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan,” Mr. Trump said, per the outlet’s transcript of the remarks. “They were shot at the aircraft carrier over a period of about one hour, 111 missiles going to a very expensive ship.” He continued, saying “every one of those missiles was knocked down. Pretty much most by Patriots, but by other means also.” 

Iran’s formal name is the Islamic Republic of Iran, and no confirmed incident matches the scenario Mr. Trump described. Iranian forces claimed in late February and March to have fired cruise and ballistic missiles at the Abraham Lincoln, but U.S. Central Command publicly denied the carrier was ever struck, saying at the time that “the missiles launched didn’t even come close.” Independent fact-checks similarly debunked viral footage purporting to show the ship on fire. Japan, a longtime U.S. treaty ally, has no role in the U.S.-Iran conflict, according to a report from Türkiye Today, which also covered the remarks.

Mr. Trump closed the exchange by pointing to recent U.S. military action against Iran, saying, “Iran has been wiped out. Iran Navy’s gone. Their air force is gone. Everything’s gone,” according to the Mediaite account of the summit remarks. Despite a monthslong U.S. and Israeli strike campaign, Iran retains naval and air force assets.

The remarks came the same day Mr. Trump declared that the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding was “over” following a fresh exchange of strikes. The agreement, signed June 17 by Mr. Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian with Pakistan mediating, established a 60-day ceasefire framework under which the U.S. agreed to lift its naval blockade of Iran and Tehran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.