President Trump made a tactless joke about Pearl Harbor during an Oval Office appearance with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, drawing audible gasps from the room.
When asked why he hadn't alerted allies about the Iran strikes, Trump justified the secrecy by saying, "Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?" The remark sparked immediate backlash on social media.
Critics called Trump "mentally unhinged" with "no impulse control or sense of what's appropriate."
Journalist Steven Beschloss called Trump an "embarrassing idiot," while observers noted, "you can hear the air go out of the room."
Democratic strategist Jon Cooper called the moment "an absolute embarrassment."
The comment particularly resonated with those affected by the war, including family members of survivors who noted the profound discomfort visible on the Japanese Prime Minister's face.
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