President Donald Trump sparked an awkward diplomatic moment on Thursday when he joked about Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor directly in the face of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during an Oval Office meeting focused on the ongoing war with Iran.
The stunning exchange occurred when a reporter asked why the United States hadn’t informed allies like Japan before launching joint strikes with Israel against Iran on February 28.
“We didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted a surprise,” Trump responded. “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor!”
The comment referenced Japan’s December 1941 attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which brought America into World War II. Takaichi’s demeanor stiffened as Trump made the remark, her smile fading and eyebrows raised. A few nervous laughs rippled through the Oval Office, which was packed with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and members of both delegations.
Trump doubled down on the comparison. “You believe in surprise, I think, much more than us,” he added.
The meeting came as Trump seeks support from allies to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping channel that Iran has effectively closed since the war began. Roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil trade normally passes through the strait, and Iran’s closure has sent energy prices soaring worldwide.
Despite the awkward Pearl Harbor joke, Takaichi heaped praise on the American president during their joint appearance. Speaking through a translator, she acknowledged the “severe security environment” created by Iran’s actions and the war’s impact on the global economy. Takaichi declared that Trump alone could achieve peace across the world and that she intended to reach out to other countries to support his efforts.
Trump suggested Japan was proving more cooperative than NATO allies, whom he has blasted for refusing to immediately assist with securing the Strait of Hormuz. Senator Lindsey Graham revealed earlier this week that Trump was furious over the European alliance’s reluctance to help, writing on social media: “I have never heard him so angry in my life.”
The president continued his complaints during Thursday’s meeting, saying Japan was “really stepping up to the plate” based on recent statements — unlike NATO.
Trump defended his decision to keep allies in the dark about the initial strikes, arguing that surprise was essential to the operation’s success. He claimed the first two days knocked out 50% of what they anticipated — “much more than we anticipated doing.”
The president confirmed reports that the Pentagon plans to request $200 billion from Congress to support military operations, though he said the funding would cover more than just Iran. He touted the destructive power of modern weaponry while insisting the war would end soon.
“You could end this thing in two seconds if you wanted to,” Trump said. “But we are being very judicious.”
The meeting highlighted the delicate position Japan finds itself in as Trump pushes for support. While the two leaders are political allies — Trump endorsed Takaichi’s February 2026 reelection campaign, which delivered the Liberal Democratic Party its biggest electoral victory in decades — Japan faces significant constraints. The nation’s 1947 constitution, imposed by the United States after World War II, establishes Japan as a pacifist country that has renounced war.
Before arriving at the White House, Takaichi told Japanese media she would “clearly explain what we can do and cannot do based on the Japanese law,” adding that she was sure Trump fully understood these limitations. A recent poll by the Asahi Shimbun shows 82% of Japanese voters oppose Trump’s military actions against Iran.
The war’s economic impact weighs heavily on Japan and other nations dependent on Middle Eastern energy. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens not only oil supplies but also natural gas shipments from facilities like Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex, which produces about 20 percent of the global liquefied natural gas supply.
Trump acknowledged the economic fallout but suggested it could have been worse. He noted that the economy had been performing well and oil prices were low before the conflict, but said he “hated to make this excursion” while insisting it was necessary — and that the economic numbers turned out better than expected.
Japan and five European nations have indicated they would consider “appropriate efforts” to help reopen the strait, though the specifics remain unclear. Trump maintained the United States doesn’t need assistance but suggested it was appropriate for other nations to contribute.
“We don’t need anything from Japan or from anyone else,” Trump said. “But I think it’s appropriate that people step up.”
Despite the diplomatic tension created by his Pearl Harbor comment, Trump called Takaichi a “popular, powerful woman” and praised Japan’s cooperation. The two nations have been allies since signing the Treaty of San Francisco on September 8, 1951, six years after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
