Donald Trump made two verbal gaffes during a NATO summit on Wednesday, renewing concerns about his health and cognitive state. The incidents occurred while Trump was speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During a discussion about missile defense capabilities, Trump misidentified Iran, stating, "We had 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan." He continued the discussion without acknowledging the error. Shortly after, while gesturing toward Zelensky, Trump asked a reporter, "Do you have a question for President Putin?" He repeated the question after a brief pause, appearing to make light of the mistake and stating he planned to ask Putin himself later that day.
These verbal slips have led to public criticism and speculation. Michael MacKay, identified as a PhD from the London School of Economics, posted on X that "Trump's dementia is profound." Similar concerns were recently voiced by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who told CNN that he believed Trump was suffering from a mental disease.
The White House, however, pushed back against these concerns, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that Trump "delivered a marathon, high-energy performance at the NATO summit." Leavitt added that Trump "commanded every room" and departed the summit with a "stronger NATO and more united free world."
Trump, 80, is the oldest person ever elected to the presidency. In the past, concerns about his health have been raised, including visible swelling in his legs, bruising on his hands, and instances of him appearing to doze off in public. The White House has attributed the leg swelling to chronic venous insufficiency and the hand bruising to regular aspirin use and frequent handshakes. Officials have also denied that Trump struggles to stay awake, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating in June that he had "never seen him fall asleep."
