Blunders From Global Leaders Believing No One Is Listening

Recently, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believed he was a private conversation with US President Donald Trump during Middle East peace talks in Egypt.

Instead, a live microphone situation captured Prabowo asking Trump to arrange a meeting with his son Eric, both of whom serve as executives at the family business.

It represented only one in a string of gaffes committed by world leaders thinking they're off the record.

Below are five other memorable errors:

Transplant Procedures and Everlasting Life

At a military parade in Beijing in early autumn, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard talking about organ transplants as a approach for extending lifespan.

"Vital organs can be repeatedly replaced. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and it's possible to even achieve immortality," Putin's interpreter was heard saying.

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

A conversation heard between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Ex-Australia immigration minister Peter Dutton came under fire in 2015 when he joked about the plight of residents in the Pacific facing rising sea levels.

Dutton was conversing with then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who had just returned from climate change talks with Pacific Island leaders in Port Moresby.

Noting that a migration discussion was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott replied: "We had a similar situation 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 opposition Labor party called for Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Prejudiced Voter'

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

Still wired up to a Sky news microphone when he entered the car, Brown was heard saying: "That went terribly – they should never have put me with that individual. Who thought of that? Absurd."

Asked what she had said, he replied: "All topics, she was just a bigoted woman."

This incident dominated headlines for weeks and Brown ultimately lost the election.

'I Cannot Bear Netanyahu. He Lies.'

Former US president Barack Obama was in discussion at the international conference in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader Nicolas Sarkozy when their remarks about Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were picked up by a live microphone.

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

According to a account from a translator quoted by Reuters, Obama replied: "You're fed up with him but I have to deal with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

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

The Republican presidential nominee was didn't realize that a recording device was active when he leaned over to Dick Cheney at a political event and said, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

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

Bush at a Labour rally in 2000
Megan Shepherd
Megan Shepherd

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with a passion for innovation and creative problem-solving.