Donald Trump found himself being widely ridiculed on social media on Thursday evening after he managed to mispronounce the relatively easy to say name of the country 'Thailand'.
Rather than say it like everyone else, the president said 'Thighland.' It was the second time this week that Trump has managed to fumble to the name of a place after failing to say 'Yosemite.' We'd hate to see him try and say Kyrgyzstan.
Twitter was soon awash with memes and jokes mocking the president for this mishap which was pretty indefensible. Like, he literally said the name wrong. There's no other way around it.
However, one man attempted to defend the president by claiming that Thailand is pronounced phonetically and therefore the president said it correctly.
This is actually the correct pronunciation. Most Americans say it wrong. Thailand is pronounced phonetically. It’s… https://t.co/WSF54rD4Kz— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596757002
Dinesh D'Souza is a Trump supporter as well as a conservative journalist, author, filmmaker and conspiracy theorist who has produced many films and books denouncing Democrats like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Although he has every right to defend the president, this particular issue seems like a hell of a hill to die but he really wasn't willing to let it go.
I’m highly amused to see supposedly sophisticated media types snickering at @realdonaldtrump for saying “Thighland.… https://t.co/jm4otQMzGJ— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596758993
Let me clarify. I’m not saying “Thighland” is how it is said in the Thai language. The French say “Paree” but that’… https://t.co/GE4By1azT4— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596759710
I’m really enjoying the “Thighland” controversy I seem to have kicked off. Outside of America, every English speak… https://t.co/f6FHXbRizX— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596773081
I don’t mind Americans saying “Tai-land” just as I don’t mind Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny saying “Yutes.” Even so,… https://t.co/iG37rTDrh9— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596774525
I have gone, NOT I have went. He got up and went, NOT he up and went. I have eaten, NOT I have ate. Regardless, NOT… https://t.co/vmMHMfXRpp— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596775283
Leaving aside our provincial argot, no honest person will deny that across the South Asian continent, Thailand is p… https://t.co/M9UbHG3mBf— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596780267
FYI my name in India is pronounced “Dhinaysh.” With an h up front, just like Thailand. But I discovered upon coming… https://t.co/9EUnjCmii4— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596781040
D'Souza did appear to find someone that agreed with him.
I bring in a hostile witness—very hostile—who corroborates at least part of my account #Thighland https://t.co/8T8M2zJlQ1— Dinesh D'Souza (@Dinesh D'Souza) 1596775887
However, the majority of Twitter did not agree with him.
Can't wait until trump tries to pronounce "Dinesh D'Souza" and Dinesh has to insist he's been saying his own name w… https://t.co/1MmixqAPUW— russbengtson.eesh (@russbengtson.eesh) 1596769356
@DineshDSouza You do know the world can read your tweets, right? Including English speakers around the world? https://t.co/KdyMVldHZN— Steve Analyst (@Steve Analyst) 1596788442
@DineshDSouza No, dumdum, that is not how it is pronounced by English speakers.— The Hoarse Whisperer (@The Hoarse Whisperer) 1596772134
@DineshDSouza Oh Dinesh. Why are you so wrong and still so adamantly defending yourself position?— Thai Enquirer (@Thai Enquirer) 1596767413
@DineshDSouza Hello from England, home of English, where absolutely no one has ever sent "Thighland" ever.— Danny Wallace (@Danny Wallace) 1596789762
@DineshDSouza The French also say Shut le phoque up— Normal Name Li’l 🌳 (@Normal Name Li’l 🌳) 1596760300
D'Souza, who is an Indian-born American then tried to retreat and claimed that is how Thailand is pronounced in India, which doesn't really excuse the fact because Trump didn't grow up in India.
Now that people in Thailand are telling him how Thailand is pronounced, Dinesh is retreating to explaining that, ac… https://t.co/Um2DsdMJYh— Don Moynihan (@Don Moynihan) 1596771016
@donmoyn I am from India and I can categorically say that this absolutely not the case in India. We do not say anyt… https://t.co/UdUtwOEdkk— MadhanGautham (@MadhanGautham) 1596775556
At this point, we are just going to leave this here.
Let's just hope this has been put to bed now and we pray that Trump never has to say a name like Bhutan or Nepal. Oh, wait...