Trump tariffs are once again making waves after the U.S. president made a shocking comment about Japan. Recently, Donald Trump suggested new tariffs on the nation, but when it came to mentioning the name of the leader, he weirdly spaced out.
In a conversation with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, the Republican leader revealed that his administration would be sending out letters as his pause on tariffs ends early next month. He cited Japan as an example.
However, during his statement, he avoided directly mentioning the name of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, whom he met earlier this year at the White House. Instead, Trump improvised as he described the letter.
Trump: I’m going to send letters, that’s the end of the trade deal. I could send one to Japan.
Dear Mr. Japan, here’s the story. You’re going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars, you know? So we give Japan no cars. They won’t take our cars. pic.twitter.com/EUkysEFykV— Acyn (@Acyn) June 29, 2025
“Dear Mr. Japan: Here’s the story,” he said. “You’re going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars.” Donald Trump further lamented that he finds it “not fair” that the U.S. takes “millions and millions” of Japanese cars while the Asian nation takes very few cars from the automakers in the United States.
He suggested that Japan should fix the deficit by making other purchases from America, such as oil. “They won’t take our cars.”
Earlier in January, Donald Trump suggested that his tariffs are a great way to increase production in the United States. “My message to every business in the world is very simple: Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth.”
However, one crucial thing is to be noted here: the vast majority of Japanese cars that are sold in America are actually built in the U.S. itself. Therefore, the upcoming tariffs are less likely to impact them.
Regardless of the argument, the one thing that has social media fired up is his opening line while reading out the letter to Japan. “Dear Mr. Japan? Trump doesn’t know what or who he is talking about,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
If President Biden started a sentence with “Dear Mr. Japan,” Republicans would never shut up about it and “25th Amendment” is all they’d be talking about.
This is fucking INSANE. pic.twitter.com/uNPuNEV7yR
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) June 29, 2025
Another added, “If President Biden started a sentence with ‘Dear Mr. Japan’, Republicans would never shut up about it and ’25th Amendement’ is all they’d be talking about. This is fu—g INSANE.”
“Imagine if Joe Biden forgot the name of the Japanese prime minister and called him Mr Japan. I’m sure everyone would be really normal about it,” another wrote.
A fourth account chimed in, “Trump has no clue who the Prime Minister of Japan is so he calls him ‘Mr. Japan’ in the interview. How can you negotiate witbh somebody if you don’t know their name?”
BREAKING: Trump has no clue who the Prime Minister of Japan is so he calls him “Mr. Japan” in the interview. How can you negotiate with somebody if you don’t know their name? pic.twitter.com/saKnV6NEFP
— Trump Lie Tracker (Commentary) (@MAGALieTracker) June 29, 2025
Another joked, “Dear Mr. Japan? Is Jake Tapper in the house?” Social media has never been forgiving when it comes to Trump making such hilarious blunders, and the President himself is responsible for some of it. In the past, Mr. Trump often called out his political rivals for making such blunders, and the White House needs to prepare him better if they don’t want to get critics fired up.
