YEARENDER 2025: Trump and his tangled tongue — a year of verbal slip-ups and the list that keeps growing...
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US President Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)
US President Donald Trump’s second term in 2025 was marked by a string of viral verbal gaffes. From mispronouncing global leaders’ names to stumbling over common words, his slip-ups sparked online ridicule and renewed debate over his health and fitness in office.
US President Donald Trump came to power for the second time in January this year. Riding on the wave of anti-immigration, Trump vowed to ‘Make America Great Again’. While he did prove himself to be stronger in implementing his proposed plans, he was also in midst of controversy for almost entirety of the year. One of the most hilarious controversy surrounding him was he mispronouncing several words during multiple events and press statements, and not even attempting to correct them. Each of Trump's gaffe went viral, with people questioning his health as he became the oldest man to become US president. Trump, during his presidential campaign, made several attacks on his predecessor Joe Biden questioning his cognitive abilities. In power for eleven months now, critics have questioned Trump's mental and physical health amid continued vagueness around his health report.
Also Read: Yearender: Top 10 most popular global political leaders in 2025, Modi tops list, Trump slips
Words Trump mispronounced in 2025
2. Azerbaijan: In August, during an interview on the Mark Levin Show, Trump used the term "Aberbaijan" and again referred to Albania instead of Armenia. Later in September, Trump claimed to have settled a long-standing conflict between “Aberbian and Albania”, during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
3. Acetaminophen: Trump repeatedly struggled to pronounce "acetaminophen" during a White House briefing, where he announced new initiatives to address what he termed an "autism epidemic." He attempted to pronounce the word several times: "Ah-ced-uv…", "Ascenem-enophin", “Acetamin-ophen” and gave up, changing to a hilarious tone and asking his audience, “Is that okay?”
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4. Abraham: Trump mistakenly rebrands a biblical figure as “Abrah-ahm” during a discussion on Abraham Accords with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in September 2025, Trump repeatedly pronounced “Abraham” as “Abrah-ahm,” claiming it was a more elegant pronunciation.
5. Vinay Kwatra: Trump mispronounced the Indian Ambassador’s name at a White House Diwali celebration in October 2025. Trump mispronounced Indian Ambassador Vinay Kwatra’s name as “Vinay Kwatruu."
6. Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi: During a press conference with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi , Trump initially pronounced it as "President Ja-secky-theh-eh" and later "President Chisaketi" before giving up and referring to him simply as the "president of DRC".
7. Tua Tagovailoa: In July, while announcing Tagovailoa's appointment to the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, Trump called him “Tua... Tag-o-valiah”
8. Gianni Infantino: Trump repeatedly mispronounced FIFA President Gianni Infantino's name multiple times despite the two having worked together for years. During an Oval Office meeting on November 18, 2025, consistently referring to him as “Johnny”
9. Sylvester Stallone: Trump repeatedly mispronounced Sylvester Stallone’s last name as "Sallone" (dropping the 't') during the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors events in December 2025
10. Louvre: In the wake of a daylight theft in France’s Louvre museum, where thieves stole crown jewels in eight minutes, Trump was among many public figures cited by language experts at Babbel for struggling with the name “Louvre”
