US President Donald Trump told a gathering of Japanese officials at a state banquet that he "never knew we had so many countries" in the world until after winning the election, and Twitter couldn't stop laughing. During a speech at the Akasana Palace in Tokyo on his last night in Japan – the first leg of his maiden trip to the Asian-Pacific region as president, Trump discussed his relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which he said "got off to quite a rocky start".

"My relationship with Shinzo got off to quite a rocky start because I never ran for office, and here I am," Trump said. "But I never ran, so I wasn't very experienced. And after I had won, everybody was calling me from all over the world. I never knew we had so many countries.

"So I was now President-elect. But I didn't know you were supposed to not see world leaders until after you were in office, which was January 20th. So you were just not supposed to because it was considered bad form. It was not a nice thing to do, and I understand that from the standpoint of the President whose place you were taking."

He continued: "So you can only take so many calls from world leaders - because, you know, everybody was calling. But Japan, you take. And some others -- we took Germany, we took Russia, we took China, we took - we took your Prime Minister."

He described Abe as a "very aggressive, strong, tough prime minister" and said Japan and the US "will have incredible friendship and incredible success for many centuries to come."

Trump's 13-day tour of Asia will include stops in South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Twitter, on the other hand, quickly pounced on the opportunity to mock the president over his "embarrassing" statement. While most responded with a slew of sarcasm-laden comments, jokes and face palm memes, others questioned if he was joking or being serious.

"Isn't it sad that I'm not sure if that's satire or not. I'm guessing not," one user tweeted. Another added: "I didn't think it was physically possible to cringe this hard."

One Twitter user said: "He must have skipped that class. His bone spurs were acting up!"

"Just when we think it couldn't get any more embarrassing," another person chimed.

Trump with Japanese PM Abe:



âAfter I had won, everybody was calling me from all over the world, I never knew we had so many countries.â — Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 6, 2017

Dear Baby Jesus...ð — dorhall1 (@dorhall1) November 6, 2017

Just when we think it couldn't get any more embarrassing... — Dawn Popp (@dawnpopp) November 6, 2017

"I never knew we had so many countries.â - President of the USA.

"I knew." - every school child in the USA — Chris (@goingglocal) November 7, 2017

Trump: "I never knew there were so many countries"



He ran Miss Universe for 20 years. Where did he think all those contestants were from? — lehmo (@lehmo23) November 7, 2017

He's completely unaware!!! — Sandy Sunrise (@SandySunrise04) November 6, 2017

Dude, there are just some things that should stay in your head.ð¤ — Dorothy Pakstis (@DorothyPakstis) November 6, 2017

Who knew geography was so complicated? — Tammy Bevinsðºð¸ððµ (@urdeal59) November 6, 2017

Who knew there were so many countries?



Some of them are even islands, surrounded by water, big water. You can't just drive a truck to them. — Mark Callaghan (@mark_callaghan1) November 7, 2017

He is a complete joke. The joke is on US and the world is watching, shaking their heads and laughing. Someone please get a gag order — Sondra Richardson (@1grn_eyez) November 7, 2017

That is an Ivy League education, folks. — animal farm (@CherylColoring) November 7, 2017

Trump told Japanese dignitaries he never knew there were so many countries until he was elected

If Trump has an IQ, he isn't using it — Don't Leave Blank (@WTFisGoingOnDon) November 6, 2017

WH staffers: time to order all the old âWhere in the world is Carmen San Diego?â videos — Larry Holden (@holdentx) November 6, 2017

Spoken like a true idiot. Donny the #Dotard!! — Ray of Son â ð (@babyboyfail) November 6, 2017

Including Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands... — Phil (@Bosson100) November 6, 2017

It's nice to know that really anyone could be president. Even if you don't know anything. You don't even have to know how to read! — Alibode (@alibowow) November 6, 2017

Yep! That's the Dotard in Chief! — @semolina_pilchard (@What_the_What59) November 6, 2017

The world is a bigly place. — Tiffany Fannin (@bluevol1976) November 6, 2017

Trump: After I had won, everybody was calling me from all over the world, I never knew we had so many countries.



Me: pic.twitter.com/XxRBUh0LzN — Truth hurts (@Jasamgurlie) November 6, 2017