Gaffes Made by World Leaders Believing No One Is Listening

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

However, a live microphone situation revealed Prabowo asking Trump to arrange a call with his son Don Jr, who serve as executives at the family business.

This was just one in a series of gaffes made by international figures when they assume they're off the record.

Below are several additional memorable blunders:

Transplant Procedures and Immortality

During a defense ceremony in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing organ transplants as a approach for extending lifespan.

"Vital organs can be continuously transplanted. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and you can even reach eternal life," Putin's interpreter was recorded stating.

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

A conversation heard between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Water Lapping at Your Door'

Former Australian border protection chief Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the situation of people in the Pacific facing ocean encroachment.

Dutton was speaking to then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who had recently come back from climate change talks with regional heads in Port Moresby.

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

Dutton added: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have the ocean reaching your home."

The comments provoked anger from regional nations and environmentalists, while the political opponents demanded Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton recorded making jokes with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Bigoted Woman'

While serving as UK PM Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he encountered a constituent who questioned him on immigration and the economic situation.

Remaining connected to a Sky news microphone when he got into his vehicle, Brown was heard saying: "That went terribly – 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 an extended period and Brown ultimately lost the political race.

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

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

Sarkozy stated: "I can't stand Netanyahu. He's a liar."

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

'Major League ***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 Labor Day rally and remarked, "There's Adam Clymer, complete jerk from the New York Times."

Cheney responded: "Oh yeah, he is, big time."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Jordan Watkins
Jordan Watkins

A seasoned financial analyst specializing in tech sector investments and wealth management strategies.