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

This week, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a private conversation with US President Donald Trump during Middle East peace talks in Egypt.

Instead, a hot-mic incident captured Prabowo asking Trump to arrange a call with his son Eric, who serve as executives at the Trump organization.

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

Below are five other noteworthy errors:

Organ Transplants and Everlasting Life

At a military parade in Beijing this September, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were recorded discussing organ transplants as a method for prolonging life.

"Vital organs can be continuously transplanted. The more you extend your life, the more youthful you get, and it's possible to even reach eternal life," the Russian translator was recorded stating.

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

Dialogue recorded from Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Ex-Australia immigration minister Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the plight of residents in the Pacific facing rising sea levels.

Dutton was conversing with former PM Tony Abbott, who had just returned from environmental talks with Pacific Island leaders in Port Moresby.

Observing how a migration discussion was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott responded: "We had a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

Dutton added: "Schedules become irrelevant when you're about to have the ocean reaching your home."

These remarks sparked outrage from Pacific Islands and climate activists, while the opposition Labor party called for Dutton to issue an apology.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Bigoted Woman'

While serving as UK PM Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he faced a voter who questioned him on migration and the economy.

Remaining connected to a Sky news microphone when he got into his vehicle, Brown was recorded stating: "That was a disaster – they should never have put me with that individual. Whose idea was that? Ridiculous."

When questioned about she had said, he replied: "Everything, she was just a prejudiced person."

The scandal received extensive coverage for an extended period and Brown went on to lose the election.

'I Cannot Bear Netanyahu. He's a Liar.'

Ex-American leader Barack Obama was in discussion at the international conference in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader Nicolas Sarkozy when their remarks about Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a live microphone.

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

Per a account from a translator quoted by Reuters, Obama replied: "You've had enough but I must work with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A classic recording incident from former White House hopeful George W. Bush happened as he made a negative comment about a reporter from The New York Times.

The GOP candidate was didn't realize that a microphone was live when he leaned over to Dick Cheney at a political event and said, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

Cheney answered: "Absolutely, he is, definitely."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Michael Robinson
Michael Robinson

Zkušená novinářka se specializací na politické a ekonomické zpravodajství, píšící pro přední česká média.