Blunders From World Heads of State Believing No One Is Listening

This week, Indonesian leader Prabowo Subianto believed he was a confidential discussion with US President Donald Trump at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt.

Instead, a live microphone situation revealed Prabowo requesting Trump to arrange a meeting with his son Don Jr, both of whom serve as executives at the Trump organization.

It represented only one in a series of gaffes committed by world leaders when they assume they're off the record.

Below are several additional noteworthy blunders:

Organ Transplants and Immortality

During a defense ceremony in Beijing this September, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were recorded discussing organ transplants as a approach for extending lifespan.

"Vital organs can be repeatedly replaced. The longer you live, the younger you become, and you can even reach eternal life," Putin's interpreter was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, answered in Chinese: "Some predict that in this century people may live to 150 years old."

Dialogue recorded from China's leader Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Water Lapping at Your Door'

Ex-Australia immigration minister Peter Dutton came under fire in 2015 when he made light about the situation of people in the Pacific experiencing ocean encroachment.

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

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

Dutton added: "Schedules become irrelevant when you're about to have water lapping at your door."

The comments sparked outrage from regional nations and environmentalists, while the opposition Labor party demanded Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about rising sea levels

'Bigoted Woman'

As Labour prime minister Gordon Brown was on the trail in 2010, he faced a voter who questioned him on migration and the economy.

Remaining connected to a broadcast microphone when he entered the car, Brown was heard saying: "That was a disaster – they should not have placed me with that individual. Whose idea was that? Absurd."

When questioned about she had said, he answered: "Everything, she was just a bigoted woman."

The scandal received extensive coverage for weeks and Brown ultimately lost the political race.

'I Can't Stand 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 comments about Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a active recording device.

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

Per a account from a French interpreter cited by Reuters, Obama replied: "You've had enough but I must work with him frequently than you."

'Total ***hole'

A classic hot-mic moment from then US presidential candidate George W. Bush occurred when he made a negative comment about a reporter from The New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee was unaware that a microphone was live when he leaned over to Dick Cheney at a political event and remarked, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

Cheney responded: "Oh yeah, he is, definitely."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Juan Wagner
Juan Wagner

An avid mountaineer and travel writer with over a decade of experience exploring remote destinations.