Less than a week after the former U.S. president confused Hungary and Turkey — calling Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the leader of Turkey — Trump got Hungary’s borders all wrong.
“Did anybody ever hear of Viktor Orbán? He’s the head of Hungary. Hungary fronts on both Ukraine and Russia,” Trump said on Sunday during a rally in Sioux City, Iowa.
While this time Trump did match the leader to the correct country, Hungary does not border Russia. The countries are about 1,000 kilometers apart at their closest point.
There’s no excuse for a president.
But as an American, I admit that I do have difficulty labeling Austria, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia when I look at a blank map of Europe.
I assume it would be similar if I asked a European to point out Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Also American checking it. I preface all my geographical knowledge with the fact that I’m American, along with an apology in advance if the person I’m talking to is from the area.
Or I just keep my mouth shut.
“Apology in advance”
“Or I just keep my mouth shut”
Are you really an American?
This user lives in Canada, you wouldn’t know them.
Hmmm
I’m British, we’re like the America of Europe in this sense. I could take a good guess at those 4 countries because I know their general area but I’m not exact.
The 4 states in the other hand, I haven’t got the slightest clue at all. Is Missouri the panhandle one?
Nah. Oklahoma is the panhandle one.
Well actually I would not expect a president to find all countries on a map but if said country will be coming up in debate or is actively in some conflict, I might research it a bit. I certainly wouldn’t talk out of my ass on things that could easily be checked.
Austria is south of Germany (think of the Alps), Czechia and Slovakia are next to each other (remember Czechoslovakia) and Czechia was the first country Nazi-Germany annexed parts of in their eastwards expansion so if you know that Poland is huge that only leaves 1 spot where Czechia can be
Hungary is the last on the southeast of those 3.
Thanks! This is a good mental model.
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