While explaining (poorly) how tariffs work, Donald Trump called Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba “Mr. Japan.” People online mocked him for the error.

“We’ll send a letter and we’ll say we would consider it a great honor, and this is what you’ll have to do to shop in the United States,” Trump said in an interview with Fox’s Maria Bartiromo, discussing tariffs. “We’re like a department store to shop in the United States, and you’ll pay a 25% tariff, or we wish you a lot of luck, and that’s the end of the trade deal.”

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“I’m gonna send letters. That’s the end of the trade deal. I could send one to Japan. Dear Mr. Japan, here’s the story: you’re going to pay a 25% tariff on your cars.”

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It’s not clear from the exchange that he understands how tariffs work. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. Companies that import goods produced in other countries into the U.S. have to pay the tariff, a cost that they pass along to consumers.

On X, Trump was mocked both for calling Ishiba “Mr. Japan” and for his poor understanding of tariffs. Some people pointed out that Prime Minister Ishiba visited the White House in February and spoke with Trump.