Martina Navratilova stunned by Donald Trump using incorrect name for Russian city while bashing ‘unfair media’ before Vladimir Putin meeting

August 14, 2025

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Martina Navratilova recently took a jab at American President Donald Trump for mistakenly describing Russia’s second-largest city. On Wednesday, President Trump claimed that the media were purposely working together to damage his reputation.

He made the claims before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said that ‘fake news’ outlets are working hard to get him negative coverage. President Trump further took a swipe at the media, stating it has become so biased that even if he struck a deal like getting Moscow and Leningrad for free, they would still continue to tarnish his image.

“The Fake News is working overtime… If I got Moscow and Leningrad free, as part of the deal with Russia, the Fake News would say that I made a bad deal!”

The detail in the statement that drew everyone's attention was the fact that he mentioned a Soviet-era name to describe St. Petersburg. The city was called Leningrad (named after Lenin) from 1924 to June 1991, after which the residents voted to change it. President Trump's mistake also grabbed former world No. 1 Navratilova's attention, who took a jab at him, suggesting that President Trump could have made an even bigger mistake by calling it Stalingrad (currently known as Volgograd).

"LENINGRAD???????? Well, at least he didn’t call it Stalingrad…😱😱😱😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🙄🙄🙄"

Navratilova also referred to President Trump as 'Fascists' after his government made major changes to the constitution.

Martina Navratilova throws shade at ex-President Joe Biden for making a mistake that led to President Donald Trump's re-election

Martina Navratilova during the 2025 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in London, England. (Photo by Getty Images)

Martina Navratilova has frequently voiced her opinions against President Donald Trump and is regularly seen using her social media to express her thoughts. She recently agreed with political author Don Winslow's view that ex-President Joe Biden made a mistake in appointing lawyer Merrick Garland. He further claimed that had Garland properly investigated President Trump, he would not have been elected again.

"Fact: If Merrick Garland had actually done his job - and not delayed the investigations into Donald Trump for more than a year as the Washington Post investigation clearly revealed - Trump would not have been a candidate in the 2024 Presidential election."

Navratilova expressed her agreement with Winslow's statement and chimed in:

"Garland was Biden’s biggest mistake."

President Donald Trump won the election to return to the presidency in November 2024 after defeating Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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