Trump Announces Planned Trip to Russia for a Meeting with Putin, Scheduled in Alaska
In a surprising turn of events, US President Donald Trump caused a stir during a press conference on Monday, August 11, 2025, when he referred to Alaska as Russia.
Discussing his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump twice mistakenly said he was "going to Russia" instead of Alaska. He emphasized "Russia" in his remarks, and later appeared to acknowledge it as a memory lapse, saying, "We’re going to Russia. It’s going to be a big deal"[1][2][3][4].
The reaction to this statement was largely critical and mocking, especially on social media, where many expressed embarrassment and disbelief at the geographical error. Some users compared the mistake unfavorably to past public gaffes and questioned the president’s knowledge and cognitive ability[2][3]. The incident triggered a social media uproar and widespread mockery.
Despite the confusion in his words, the meeting with Putin did take place in Alaska as planned, and the two leaders held a constructive discussion though they left without a ceasefire agreement[5]. Putin himself remarked on the proximity of Russia and Alaska across the Bering Strait during the meeting[5].
Critics are questioning Trump's judgment for referring to Alaska as Russia in a press conference, with some comparing his behavior to past instances of politicking and expressing concern over the repeated reference[6]. The mistake has added fuel to the ongoing debate about Trump's foreign policy decisions and his approach to diplomacy.
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/politics/donald-trump-putin-summit-alaska/index.html [2] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/11/trump-putin-alaska-mistake-420424 [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/11/trump-mistakes-alaska-russia-putin-summit/ [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/us/politics/trump-putin-alaska-mistake.html [5] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-summit/putin-trump-discuss-ukraine-but-leave-without-ceasefire-agreement-idUSKCN25P29H [6] https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1228012346062786560
- The geographical error made by President Trump during his press conference, where he referred to Alaska as Russia, has sparked criticism about his judgment and fueled the ongoing debate about his foreign policy decisions and approach to diplomacy.
- The incident of Trump referring to Alaska as Russia in a press conference has also been compared to past instances of politicking, with some questioning his knowledge and cognitive ability, especially in the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news.
