No. of Recommendations: 2
First you stupidly insult your ally, and then...uh, I dunno.
"Tossing aside diplomatic norms", or just being a dense old fool?
Trump Jokes About Pearl Harbor in Meeting With Japan’s Leader
Breaking a taboo, President Trump needled Japan’s prime minister about the World War II attack, as she widened her eyes and appeared to take a deep breath in the Oval Office.
For decades, American presidents have avoided speaking harshly about Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, eager to focus instead on deepening ties with Tokyo, which has been a steadfast ally since World War II.
Not so with President Trump.
At an otherwise congenial meeting with Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, in the Oval Office on Thursday, Mr. Trump invoked the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, which led the United States into World War II. He was responding to a question about why Japan and other allies had received no advance notice of the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran.
“We didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise,” he said. “Who knows better about surprise than Japan, OK? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK? Right?”
There was some laughter from the officials and journalists gathered in the room. “You believe in surprise, I think, much more so than us,” he added.
As Mr. Trump spoke, Ms. Takaichi widened her eyes and appeared to take a deep breath. She kept her arms crossed in her lap and did not speak.
The remark was the latest example of Mr. Trump’s penchant for tossing aside diplomatic norms.
