Donald Trump Appeared to Forget the Name of the Pacific Ocean on Live TV
It's actually unclear which ocean he was referring to.
Published Aug. 20 2025, 10:54 a.m. ET
Although Donald Trump has never been shy about being interviewed by friendly outlets, that doesn't mean that everything he says in those interviews is going to be uncontroversial. During an appearance on Fox and Friends on Aug. 19, Trump appeared to forget the name of one of the world's largest bodies of water.
Given the fact that he's 79 years old, many are wondering whether this confusion is a result of his advanced age or simply Trump being Trump. Either way, here's what we know about how the president seemed to forget about the Pacific Ocean.
Did Trump forget the name of the Pacific Ocean?
During an appearance on Fox and Friends, Trump was asked by Fox's Lawrence Jones about the meeting he had with European leaders at the White House over the war in Ukraine, and whether those leaders had said anything to him in private.
“They're very good people, they're very good leaders of their countries, and they want to get back to leading their countries,” he explained. The visiting leaders included French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“They're consumed far more with this than we are because they're right there. You know we have an ocean that’s separating us, right? A thing called … an ocean. A big, beautiful ocean. And, uh, they don't, they're right there. So it's a different kind of a thing for them," he said.
That's the moment when Trump appears to forget the name of an ocean, but it's actually unclear which one he was referring to.
The Pacific Ocean separates the west coast of the United States from Russia, which was the subject of much of the negotiations. The Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile, separates Europe from the United States. Trump's point appears to have been that European leaders are feeling the effects of the war in Ukraine more because they are not separated from the war by an ocean, but as for which ocean he was talking about, it's anyone's guess.
The flub was called out online afterward.
Although the hosts on Fox and Friends didn't appear to notice Trump's slight gaffe, it quickly became a thing on the internet. Of course, because of Trump's unique speaking style, it can sometimes be hard to tell whether the president is grasping for a particular name or piece of information, or is simply talking in an unusual manner.
"'A thing called … an ocean.' Trump’s dementia on display again — he can’t come up with the name for the Atlantic Ocean," one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"Donald Trump’s cognitive decline is put on shocking display as he forgets the name of the Pacific Ocean during a conversation with Fox and Friends," Occupy Democrats added.
President Trump has not been diagnosed with dementia or cognitive decline, but given his age, there have been persistent questions about his mental well-being. Whether those questions are warranted or not is certainly a question worth asking, but one without a conclusive answer at this point.