With a slip of the tongue, U.S. President Donald Trump created a new African country: “Nambia.”
Trump seemingly misspoke on Wednesday, praising the country for its progress while having lunch with several African heads of state during the U.N.’s annual General Assembly gathering in New York City. Some were quick to point out that “Nambia” does not exist in Africa, or elsewhere.
“In Guinea and Nigeria, you fought a horrifying Ebola outbreak. Nambia’s health system is increasingly self-sufficient,” Trump said in his remarks.
Trump, at a lunch with African leaders, refers to the non-existent country of “Nambia.” pic.twitter.com/N8megnC1Xi
— David Mack (@davidmackau)
Some theorized the president may have meant Gambia or Zambia, but an official White House transcript correctly referenced the nation of Namibia.
Namibia is a very real country in southwest Africa bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Zambia, Angola, Botswana and South Africa. The country gained its independence in 1990, and is home to the large Namid Desert.
The country was also recently included in North Korea-related sanctions pushed by the U.S. A Namibia-based subsidiary of a Chinese company and a North Korean entity operating in Namibia were targeted for supporting Pyongyang’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, according to Reuters.
Trump’s political slip inspired a slew of jokes online, some of which referenced some of the president’s more popular gaffes, like his ” Covfefe” tweet in May.
But Trump isn’t the first U.S. president to get tongue-tied. ” Bushisms” — speaking errors, malapropisms and atypical pronunciations or phrases — became a hallmark of former President George W. Bush‘s presidency, and former President Barack Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed Obama’s swearing in, twice.
More from U.S. News
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wore Chewbacca Socks and the Internet Geeked Out
Venezuela Accuses Trump of ‘White Supremacist Ideas,’ Blasts U.S. ‘Aggressions’
Hawaii Is Quietly Preparing for a Nuclear Attack by North Korea
Trump Praises Health Care of Nonexistent African Country of Nambia originally appeared on usnews.com
