Slip-ups Made by World Heads of State When They Think No One Is Listening

This week, Indonesian leader 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 revealed Prabowo requesting Trump to organize a meeting with his son Don Jr, who hold positions at the family business.

It represented only one in a series of missteps committed by international figures thinking no one can hear them.

Here are several additional memorable errors:

Organ Transplants and Everlasting Life

During a defense ceremony in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's head Vladimir Putin were overheard talking about organ replacement as a method for extending lifespan.

"Human organs can be continuously replaced. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and it's possible to even reach eternal life," the Russian translator was heard saying.

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

A conversation recorded from Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin

'Water Lapping at Your Door'

Former Australian border protection chief Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the plight of people in the Pacific facing rising sea levels.

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

Noting that a meeting about refugees was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott responded: "There was a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

Dutton commented: "Schedules become irrelevant when you're about to have water lapping at your door."

These remarks sparked outrage from regional nations and environmentalists, while the opposition Labor party demanded Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton recorded making jokes 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 economic situation.

Still wired up to a Sky news 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? Ridiculous."

Asked what she had said, he answered: "All topics, she was just a prejudiced person."

The scandal received extensive coverage for an extended period and Brown ultimately lost 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 picked up by a live microphone.

Sarkozy stated: "I cannot bear Netanyahu. He's a liar."

According to a account from a translator cited by Reuters, Obama responded: "You've had enough but I must work with him more often than you."

'Total ***hole'

A classic recording incident from then US presidential candidate George W. Bush happened as he made a disparaging remark about a reporter from The New York Times.

The GOP candidate was unaware that a microphone was live when he turned to Dick Cheney at a political event and said, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

Cheney answered: "Oh yeah, he is, definitely."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Cathy Lopez
Cathy Lopez

A seasoned business consultant with over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship and digital marketing.