A look back at Trump’s demented speech in Japan

Donald Trump went on a demented speech in Japan on Monday, where he failed to understand his new fleet of aircraft carriers, steam technology, and the 2000-year-old technology of magnets.

The president was attempting to explain his views on America’s new fleet of aircraft carriers. The carriers have catapult systems that launch F-15s, as well as an advanced electromagnetic elevator used to move weaponry on deck. Both of these technologies reportedly cut preparation time in half.

So what are Trumps thoughts? Well it doesn’t seem like he’s a fan. On the subject of the advanced electromagnetic elevators, he said, “You know, the new thing is magnets. So instead of using hydraulic that can be hit by lightning and it’s fine. You take a little glass of water, you drop it on magnets, I don’t know what’s going to happen,”

In case you were never a 10-year-old playing with fridge magnets, they’re not affected by water. Apparently, Trump hasn’t used a magnet in a couple of decades; he’s forgotten how they work.

He tried pushing on, attempting to find any sort of track to attach his wayward train of thought to.

“So, you know, the elevators come up in the new carriers—I think I’m going to change it, by the way—they have magnets. Every tractor has hydraulic, every excavator, every excavating machine of any kind has hydraulic. But somebody decided to use magnets.”

Trump didn’t just attack magnets, though; he also criticized the catapults used by the carriers, stating,

“I’m going to sign an executive order. When we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults and it’s hydraulic for the elevators. We’ll never have a problem.”

He then pointed out an apparent high-ranking general, “He agrees. Everybody agrees. But, ahh, these people in Washington…”

The general’s silence echoed loudly.

This is actually not Trump’s first time claiming that magnets are killed by water.

In January 2024, “Give me a glass of water, let me drop it on the magnets, that’s the end of the magnets.”

Nobody is quite sure just how long Trump’s battle against magnets has lasted, but his opinions are certainly set in stone. Magnets are weak and should not come into contact with water. One can only imagine where he got such an idea.

All these comments come as speculation swirls about Trump’s cognitive ability.

Trump underwent a basic cognitive test in April 2025, Donald Trump completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a basic test used to gauge whether an elderly person’s cognitive ability has begun to decline.

The test asks respondents to draw a clock with a specific time, identify pictures of animals, remember a series of words, and count backwards by a specific number. According to the creators of the test, it is meant to detect mild cognitive impairment as early as possible, not to measure intelligence or IQ.