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During Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to the White House, Donald Trump caused discomfort with a historical comparison.
In a round of discussions drew Trump a historical comparison to Attack on Pearl Harbor and received incredulous reactions from the person he was talking to.
“Who knows surprises better?”
Trump spoke about military strategies and emphasized that the USA had deliberately relied on the element of surprise in an attack on Iran. He then addressed the Japanese delegation directly: “Who knows surprises better than Japan?”
A sensitive point causes irritation
He then followed up and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” There was laughter in the room, but the mood seemed tense. Takaichi reacted visibly irritated. She sat up in her chair and looked at her companions with wide eyes.
Historical background weighs on the statement
The background to the comparison is historically sensitive: On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. More than 2,400 people were killed. The attack led to the United States entering World War II.
