Donald Trump appeared to mix up two wars during remarks to reporters on Wednesday. The president was taking questions after a press event with the Artemis II astronauts when he turned to CNN's Kaitlan Collins. He first dismissed her network, as he frequently does, as 'fake news.'
Collins ignored the dig and referenced Trump's earlier phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and asked which conflict he believed would end first — Russia's invasion of Ukraine or the U.S. conflict with Iran.
Trump replied: 'Well, we talked about more about the war in Ukraine, but he would like to be of help. I said, "Before you help me, I want to end your war." So, we had a good talk. I've known him a long time. I think he was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal, but we talked more about Ukraine.'
As Trump didn't directly answer, Collins pressed: 'But which war do you think ends first?'
Trump responded: 'Um, that's an interesting question. You know, coming from you, that's very interesting. Which war would end first? I don't know. Maybe they're on a similar timetable.' He then appeared to mix up the conflicts: 'I think, Ukraine, militarily, they're defeated,' he said, appearing to refer to Iran — a suggestion reinforced by his subsequent remarks about ceasefires, a destroyed Navy and rampant inflation.
The gaffe did not go unnoticed on social media, where some furious critics accused him of parroting Kremlin propaganda on Ukraine, but where others accurately noted it was most likely 'brain fog' or the president being 'sleepy as usual.'
Observers pointed out that Trump's reference to sunken ships clearly pertains to Iran's navy, not Ukraine's. The confusion sparked widespread commentary, with many noting the president's age and occasional verbal slips.
