Slip-ups Made by Global Heads of State When They Think They're in Private

Recently, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a confidential discussion with American leader Donald Trump during Middle East peace talks in Egypt.

However, a hot-mic incident captured Prabowo asking Trump to organize a call with his son Don Jr, both of whom serve as executives at the family business.

It represented only one in a string of gaffes committed by international figures thinking no one can hear them.

Here are several additional memorable errors:

Transplant Procedures and Everlasting Life

At a military parade in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were recorded talking about organ replacement as a approach for prolonging life.

"Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and it's possible to even achieve immortality," the Russian translator was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, responded in Chinese: "Some predict that in the current era humans may reach 150 years old."

Dialogue heard between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Former Australian border protection chief Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he joked about the plight of people in the Pacific facing rising sea levels.

Dutton was conversing with then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who had recently come back from climate change talks with regional heads in Port Moresby.

Observing how a meeting about refugees was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott replied: "We had a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

Dutton added: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have water lapping at your door."

These remarks provoked anger from Pacific Islands and climate activists, while the political opponents demanded Dutton to issue an apology.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about rising sea levels

'Bigoted Woman'

As Labour prime minister Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he encountered a voter who challenged him on immigration and the economy.

Still wired up to a broadcast microphone when he got into his vehicle, Brown was heard saying: "That was a disaster – they should never have put me with that individual. Who thought of that? Absurd."

Asked what she had said, he answered: "All topics, she was just a bigoted woman."

This incident received extensive coverage for an extended period and Brown ultimately lost the election.

'I Cannot Bear Netanyahu. He Lies.'

Ex-American leader Barack Obama was in conversation at the G20 summit in Cannes in 2011 with then French president Nicolas Sarkozy when their remarks about Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were picked up by a active recording device.

Sarkozy said: "I cannot bear Netanyahu. He's a liar."

According to a account from a translator quoted by Reuters, Obama responded: "You're fed up with him but I have to deal with him more often than you."

'Total ***hole'

A vintage hot-mic moment from former White House hopeful George W. Bush occurred when he made a negative comment about a journalist from The New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee was unaware that a recording device was active when he turned to Dick Cheney at a political event and remarked, "That's Adam Clymer, complete jerk from the New York Times."

Cheney answered: "Oh yeah, he is, big time."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Ruth Murphy
Ruth Murphy

A passionate web developer and tech enthusiast sharing knowledge and experiences in modern web technologies.