Trump Jokes About Pearl Harbor in Meeting With Japan’s Leader

New York Times
by Javier C. Hernández
March 19, 2026
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3 min read

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Trump made jokes about Pearl Harbor during a meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

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President Trump made jokes about the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack during an Oval Office meeting with Japan's prime minister, an exchange that visibly caught her off guard as she widened her eyes and took a deep breath. The comment broke long-standing diplomatic protocol around the attack, which killed more than 1,200 Americans and prompted U.S. entry into World War II. Such references are typically avoided in high-level U.S.-Japan meetings, as the attack remains a sensitive historical event in both nations' collective memory. The interaction underscores potential friction in Trump's diplomatic style, which has often departed from conventional approaches to sensitive bilateral relationships. Japan is a key U.S. ally in the Asia-Pacific region, and the meeting's tone could signal broader shifts in how the administration handles longtime partnerships.

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