Trump made a joke about Pearl Harbor to the Japanese Prime Minister, it went over as well as you would think
As if American politics weren’t enough of a trainwreck, Donald Trump proves that things could always get worse. In a White House meeting with a Japanese Prime Minister, the President compared the United States’ recent attack on Iran to Pearl Harbor.
“One thing you don’t want to do is signal,” he said of the attack. “We went in very hard. We didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise.” He then turned towards Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and said, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” The air went out of the room.
“This country isn’t real man,” wrote one user on X with a clip of the painfully awkward exchange. It felt like a parody – a headline from The Onion, a scene from Idiocracy or a Saturday Night Live sketch, but horrifyingly enough, it actually happened. While Prime Minister Takaichi maintained her composure, she was made visibly uncomfortable by Trump’s attempt at comedy. It’s possible that the President wasn’t trying to be funny at all, and that’s even more terrifying.
“Takaichi came to offer loyalty. Trump answered with Pearl Harbor. That tells you everything about the so-called alliance.” This was Prime Minister Takaichi’s first-ever visit to the White House, and what a first impression it was. She indeed came to offer aid to the United States, responding to Trump’s request that Japan and other US Allies help secure the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway between Iran to the north and Oman/UAE responsible for about a fifth of the world’s total oil trade. Trump responded to her with the trademark disrespect for which he’s known.
Trump was flippant and ignorant
It’s the first time that Trump has been flippant about Iran. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said that United States military strikes had “totally demolished” the majority of Iran’s Kharg Island, but “we may hit it a few more times just for fun. ”
“Trump can’t possibly have one real supporter,” writes another flabbergasted user on X. Sadly, the comments section proves them wrong. Trump supporters flocked to the comment section to praise Trump for his trolling and disparage his critics. While Trump’s followers may regard his comment with a sense of xenophobic pride, political commentators responded with vicarious embarrassment. Poltics writer Adam Schwarz described the exchange as “undoubtedly the worst American diplomatic gaffe in post-war U.S.-Japan history.” In his eyes, the look on Prime Minister Takaichi’s face say it all.
International X users lamented Trump’s remark, one of them posting an image of a soldier handing a chimpanzee an AK-47 with the caption “Americans making Trump as president.” More Americans comiserated, with one writing “it really is like watching my undiagnosed grandpa winning the election for president of the united states and just saying wtf ever.”
Despite her evident discomfort, Prime Minister Takaichi reaffirmed her commitment to a US-Japanese alliance and reiterated her nation’s stance on Iran. “Iran’s development of nuclear weapons must never be allowed,” she said through an interpreter, adding that Japan has attempted to rally other nations to support the United States’ cause. While Japan’s Prime Minister may support Donald Trump for now, there’s only so much embarrassment she and the rest of the world can take.
(featured image: Cabinet Secretariat/Michael Vadon)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
