Donald Trump’s spokesperson rushed to dismiss a series of embarrassing blunders by the President at the Davos summit, where he seemed to confuse Greenland and Iceland multiple times during a speech that garnered global attention.
The mix-up occurred during Trump’s address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 21. This speech followed recent trade disputes that strained relations between the US, Europe, and NATO allies.
Trump consistently mentioned “Iceland” instead of “Greenland” four times in a row, prompting White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to defend him on social media, claiming that the public misunderstood him.
Responding to criticism, Leavitt clarified on Twitter that Trump’s prepared remarks described Greenland as a “piece of ice,” emphasizing that the confusion arose from misinterpretation.
Despite Leavitt’s statements, social media users pointed out the video evidence of Trump’s errors, highlighting the discrepancy between his spoken words and written script.
During his speech, Trump mistakenly asserted that NATO previously referred to him as “daddy” until he informed them about Iceland, which he later corrected to Greenland. He further emphasized America’s global influence and hinted at potential consequences for those who oppose his requests.
Apart from the Greenland-Iceland confusion, Trump also stumbled over the pronunciation of Azerbaijan, calling it “Aberbaijan,” but correctly mentioning Armenia, correcting his earlier misidentification of the country as Albania.
Trump boasted about America’s supremacy to over 60 world leaders at the summit, asserting the US’s unique ability to secure Greenland and showcasing the nation’s power on the global stage.
Despite some negative feedback, Leavitt maintained that Trump’s speech was well-received, describing it as inspirational and positively reviewed by attendees.