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

Recently, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a private conversation with American leader Donald Trump at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt.

Instead, a live microphone situation revealed Prabowo requesting Trump to arrange a call with his son Eric, who hold positions at the family business.

It represented only one in a string of gaffes committed by world leaders when they assume no one can hear them.

Here are five other memorable errors:

Organ Transplants and Everlasting Life

At a military parade in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's head Vladimir Putin were recorded talking about organ transplants as a method for prolonging life.

"Vital organs can be continuously replaced. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and you can even reach eternal life," the Russian translator was heard saying.

Xi, who was off camera, responded in Chinese: "Some predict that in the current era humans may reach 150 years old."

Dialogue recorded from Chinese president Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Water Lapping at Your Door'

Former Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he joked about the situation of people in the Pacific experiencing rising sea levels.

Dutton was conversing with former PM Tony Abbott, who had recently come back from environmental talks with regional heads in Port Moresby.

Noting that a migration discussion was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott replied: "We had a bit of that up in Port Moresby."

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

The comments provoked anger 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 rising sea levels

'Bigoted Woman'

While serving as UK PM Gordon Brown was on the trail in 2010, he encountered a voter who challenged him on immigration and the economy.

Still wired up to a broadcast 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? Absurd."

When questioned about she had said, he replied: "All topics, she was just a bigoted woman."

The scandal dominated headlines for weeks and Brown went on to lose the political race.

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

Former US president Barack Obama was in conversation at the G20 summit in Cannes in 2011 with then French president Nicolas Sarkozy when their comments about Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a live microphone.

Sarkozy stated: "I cannot bear Netanyahu. He deceives."

Per a account from a French interpreter quoted by Reuters, Obama responded: "You've had enough but I have to deal with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A vintage recording incident from former White House hopeful George W. Bush occurred when he made a disparaging remark about a reporter from The New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee was unaware that a microphone was live when he turned to Dick Cheney at a Labor Day rally and said, "There's Adam Clymer, complete jerk from the New York Times."

Cheney answered: "Oh yeah, that's true, definitely."

Bush at a Labour rally in 2000
Robert Li
Robert Li

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about exploring how innovation shapes daily life and future possibilities.