Trump flubbed 3rd grade geography to the Indian prime minister
Let this serve as yet another reminder President Trump likely skipped a few geography classes.
In this episode of "maybe just look at a map," Trump reportedly made a major flub involving two of the most powerful countries in the world. When speaking to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump reportedly told him "It's not like you’ve got China on your border," Washington Post journalists Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig report in their forthcoming book A Very Stable Genius.
As every modern map reveals, India does share a significant segment of its border with China. That's probably why "Modi's eyes bulged out in surprise" after Trump brushed off the two countries' connection, Rucker and Leonnig write. "Modi's expression gradually shifted, from shock and concern to resignation," the report continues, and one Trump aide later said Modi likely "left that meeting and said, 'This is not a serious man. I cannot count on this man as a partner.'" "The Indians took a step back" from their relationship with the U.S. after that comment, Rucker and Leonnig continue.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump has made several other geographical gaffes throughout his presidency, most of them out in the open, but most of them also not directed at the leaders of countries he seemingly knows nothing about.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Wikipedia: Is ‘neutrality’ still possible?Feature Wikipedia struggles to stay neutral as conservatives accuse the site of being left-leaning
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified filesSpeed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DCSpeed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operationsSpeed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
