Trump says ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ fired missiles at US ship
Minister Donald Trump he mistakenly said that the “Islamic Republic of Japan” had fired 111 missiles at a US aircraft carrier “a few months ago”.
He made these comments while speaking to the press alongside the President of Ukraine on July 8. Volodymyr Zelenskyy On the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.
“We have an aircraft carrier that is one of the most beautiful in the world, one of the largest, (USS) Abraham Lincoln,” Trump said. “And a few months ago, I told this story yesterday, we had 111 missiles shot down by the Islamic Republic of Japan.”
The president said the missiles were fired at the aircraft carrier within an hour and all were intercepted.
USS Abraham Lincoln and the war in Iran
In February, the United States shot down a drone that “aggressively” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln as it sailed in the Arabian Sea, about 500 miles off the southern coast of Iran, USA TODAY previously reported. The incident occurred shortly before the United States and Israel attacked Iran, starting a war that is now in its fourth month.
The following month, Iran announced that it had shot down the USS Abraham Lincoln with a ballistic missile. In a post on U.S. Central Command X objected to the report“Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched did not even come close. Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”
US and Japan military alliance
The United States and Japan have been military allies for nearly 75 years. two countries Signed an agreement in 1952According to the official website of the US Congress, seven years after the end of World War II. They also share a common defense pact with about 60,000 U.S. troops currently stationed around Japan.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Trump said ‘The Islamic Republic of Japan fired a missile at a US ship’
