Donald Trump is no stranger to making bold statements and making headlines for unpredictable moments. But his latest blunder has left many questioning his grasp on key facts.
During his much awaited Liberation Day speech on April 2, the 78-year-old made a bizarre claim that over 90% of Japanese cars are made in Japan. The statement was enough to raise eyebrows.
Trump, who was announcing a sweeping 25% tariff on countries that do not manufacture goods in the U.S., took aim at South Korea, Japan, and other nations for imposing heavy trade restrictions. “As a result of these colossal trade barriers, 81% of the cars in South Korea are made in South Korea,” he declared. “94% of the cars in Japan are made in Japan.”
His comment was quick to ignite ridicule across the internet. One user wrote, “90% of Japanese cars are made in Japan. Lol. Trump is too old and senile but MAGA eat up everything he says.”
This weird claim in his statement wasn’t the only part of his speech that is causing waves right now. The Japanese government is now considering a retaliatory tariff in response to the president’s trade crackdown. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is reportedly weighing “every option” before deciding on the country’s next move.
“Our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. We’re going to reclaim our wealth. This is the beginning of Liberation Day in America.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/JB8P51mhSb
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 2, 2025
Tokyo-based economist Jesper Koll commented on the situation. He talked about the challenge of retaliating against the U.S. economy. “If you say, ‘Fine, let’s have an offensive method. What can we threaten America with?’ The irony is—very, very little.”
As if the trade misstep wasn’t enough, Trump’s awkward exit from the stage added more to the growing concern over his performance. After he concluded his speech, he started to walk away. He didn’t realize that he had forgotten to sign the bill enacting the tariffs. In a video clip, an official can be seen redirecting Trump back to the signing desk. The president, seemingly unfazed, cracked an inaudible joke to prompt the audience to laugh and applaud.
This wasn’t Trump’s only verbal slip-up. Earlier in his speech, he mispronounced Thailand as ‘Thigh-land’ while he was discussing tariffs. “Meanwhile, thigh-Thailand and others are charging much higher prices, like 60%,” he stated.
Trump’s Liberation Day speech is filled with misinformation. The USA has higher tariff & non-tariff trade barriers than 68 other nations according to @Heritage. pic.twitter.com/hCX73m4ioN
— Joel Griffith (@joelgriffith) April 2, 2025
His speech continued to mention what he described as unfair trade practices. He accused India and Vietnam of imposing tariffs as high as 70% or 75% on U.S. vehicles. “Others are even higher than that,” Trump warned, as he vowed that the U.S. would match tariffs ‘dollar-for-dollar.’
“The United States for decades charged a 2.5% tariff on foreign-made automobiles,” he added. “The European Union charges us more than 10% tariffs, and they have 20% that are much, much tighter.”
Well yes, Trump’s supporters brushed off his verbal missteps. But critics were quick to point out to them as evidence of cognitive decline. That for sure fueled concerns about his fitness for office as he heads deeper into his presidency.
