Former President Donald Trump recently faced online ridicule after he mistakenly mixed up the name of an Alaskan wildlife refuge with a military airbase in Afghanistan during a town hall event in Flint, Michigan. The discussion, moderated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, focused on Trump’s energy policies.
During his remarks, Trump conflated the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which he opened for oil and gas development during his presidency, with Bagram Air Base located in Afghanistan. This slip has sparked renewed debate about the cognitive capabilities of elderly presidential candidates, considering Trump is now the oldest nominee in U.S. history at 78, following President Biden, who is 81.
Trump claimed, “We were energy independent, we were soon going to be energy dominant… We have Bagram in Alaska. They say it might be as big, might be bigger than all of Saudi Arabia. I got it approved. Ronald Reagan couldn’t do it. Nobody could do it. I got it done.”
JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images
Realizing the error, Trump attempted to clarify his statement, mumbling, “Check that one out, Bagram. Check that one out… We should have that air base. We should have that oil.”
In September 2023, the Biden administration canceled the last remaining ANWR oil and gas leases from Trump’s term to protect vast areas of wilderness. Meanwhile, Bagram Air Base was taken over by the Taliban in 2021 after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, a move Trump has criticized fiercely, especially after a tragic attack at Kabul airport led to American casualties.
Critics were quick to pounce on Trump’s blunder. Former Democratic candidate Amy McGrath tweeted, “Bagram was the airbase he had in Afghanistan—the same base where we kept hundreds of Taliban and ISIS prisoners that Trump released… He is CLUELESS folks.” Zac Petkanas, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton, remarked on the expected media coverage about Trump’s age and mental fitness, stating it seems to be “reserved for Democrats.” Meanwhile, lawyer Bradley P. Moss commented that the incident highlighted a lack of awareness, calling it “elder abuse.”
Columnist Justin Baragona noted that the two names don’t even sound similar, making it difficult to give Trump the benefit of the doubt on this error.
During the same town hall, Trump defended his long-winded speeches, countering claims made by Vice President Kamala Harris that attendees often leave his rallies early due to “exhaustion and boredom.” Trump insisted that “everybody stays till the end,” asserting that his complex sentences ultimately resonate with his audience.