During a Monday signing in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump, 79, baffled his audience by talking about a governor who does not exist.
“You know, I did a favor for Kristi Whitman,” Trump said.
A few seconds later he tried to fix himself. “Whitmer,” he added. But there is no Kristi Whitmer either.
Trump appears to confuse Kristi Noem and Gretchen Whitmer:
“You know, I did a favor for Kristi, uhhh for Kristi Whitman — uhh Whitmer, a good.. a good favor, I think” pic.twitter.com/HCjfsfakKw
— FactPost (@factpostnews) August 25, 2025
Trump was likely trying to name Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. That matched his next words, because he started talking about the Great Lakes.
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“A good favor, I think. With the fish, the carp, the China carp—you ever hear of it? China carp, and it’s taking over your Great Lakes,” Trump said as the room stayed quiet.
Many people guessed he might have been reaching for Christine Todd Whitman, the former New Jersey governor who later ran the EPA. Another theory was that he meant Kristi Noem, his Homeland Security secretary. Trump has already stumbled on her name before. Earlier this month he called her “Cristie Kerr,” confusing her with a professional golfer.
No he’s talking about Kristi Whitmer from his past
— Tybin (@4tybin) August 25, 2025
He’s getting much worse, every single day. More confused, more out of touch with reality, and more totalitarian.
— stop tRumpnado 🇺🇦 (@tRumpnado2016) August 25, 2025
Pretty sure he was thinking of Christy Todd Whitman, governor of NJ in the 1990s.
— Frank (@spiderstumbled) August 26, 2025
No, unstable demented Trump’s confusing Christine Whitman former NJ governor with Gretchen Whitmer, current Michigan governor.
— 🇺🇦Paula Chertok🗽 (@PaulaChertok) August 25, 2025
The slip about the governor was not his only odd moment on Monday. Trump also claimed he had given a speech over the weekend. “Over the weekend, I’m making a speech,” he said. “Some of these people were from foreign countries.” But there was no speech. Nothing on his public schedule matched what he was describing.
These strange mix-ups have been happening more often. Two weeks ago, Trump told reporters he was “going to Russia on Friday.” He repeated it twice. But the truth was that he was flying to Alaska for a meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Not long ago, another scene showed how easily Trump gets lost in his own words. At a White House event with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump praised Cook as “one of the greatest innovators in the world.” Then he moved on to his own team.
“Thanks as well to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for being here, wherever you may be,” Trump said.
Lutnick, standing right behind him, had to call out, “I’m right behind you.”
Trump spun around and said, “Oh hey, fellas. I missed you.”
Featured image via X screengrab
