Trump makes Pearl Harbor remark in meeting with Japan's PM
President Trump compared US strikes on Iran to the deadly 1941 Japanese attack and declaration of war as part of World War Two.
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"Prime Minister Takaichi viscerally reacted, her eyes widening and her smile disappearing as she leaned back, drawing her hands in, clearly taken aback by the sudden mention of Pearl Harbor."
— Sanae Takaichi , Politician
"One of the great responses to a reporter in history!"
— Eric Trump , Celebrity
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President Trump compared US strikes on Iran to the deadly 1941 Japanese attack and declaration of war as part of World War Two.
During a bilateral meeting, President Trump made an uncomfortable joke referencing Pearl Harbor, prompting an awkward reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
President Trump faced sharp criticism and political fallout from the rapid escalation of the U.S.-Israel joint war against Iran, which began on February 28 without notice to key allies. Trump cited the element of surprise—likening it controversially to Japan's 1941 Pearl Harbor attack—to justify his decision, embarrassing visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
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