US President Donald Trump on Thursday compared the American-Israeli strikes on Iran to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, as he defended the war against Tehran during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Washington.
The press briefing, held amid the ongoing Iran conflict, also saw Trump praising Takaichi’s command of English and joking about skipping translation.
ALSO READ | ‘Was Trump born then?’: Pearl Harbor joke at Japan PM meeting goes off track, sparks row
‘Who knows about surprise better than Japan’, says Trump; Takaichi reacts
In a friendly meeting with Japan’s first female prime minister, Trump spoke about why allies were not informed before the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on February 28.
"We didn't tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan?" Trump said in the Oval Office.
He added, “Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”
{{/usCountry}}Responding to a journalist’s question on not informing allies, Trump said, "You believe in surprise, I think much more so than us."
Japan PM Takaichi’s reaction goes viral
Takaichi’s immediate reaction has gone viral on social media.
Her eyes widened as she shifted in her as Trump, seated beside her in the Oval Office, referred to the event that led the United States into World War II.
Notably, imperial Japan carried out a pre-emptive strike on the US Pacific base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, aiming to deliver a decisive blow before the expected US entry into World War II.
More than 2,400 Americans were killed in the attack, which president Franklin D Roosevelt said would live "in infamy."
The United States later ended World War II by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan, the only time nuclear weapons have been used in conflict.
Trump also praises Takaichi’s English fluency
During the interaction, Trump also complimented Takaichi’s English and joked about not needing translation.
“Do you understand this? Very good, I’ll tell you! So nice we don’t have to sit through translation,” Trump said.
Trump added in a lighter tone, “Next time I’ll have your language he passed,” suggesting he would have learned Japanese before his next meeting with Takaichi.
US-Israel vs Iran war continues
Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran on Friday as Iranians observed Nowruz, the Persian New Year, amid a war that has sent shockwaves through the global economy and raised fears of Iran’s Arab neighbours being drawn directly into the conflict.
Iran continued its attacks on Israel, forcing millions to take shelter as sirens rang out across large parts of the north, from Haifa to the Galilee and up to the border with Lebanon.
This came after a heavy day of fighting, with more than a dozen missile launches reported on Thursday alone, according to Israel’s military.
With inputs from agencies