Blunders From World Heads of State When They Think They're in Private

This week, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a confidential discussion with American leader Donald Trump at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt.

Instead, a live microphone situation captured Prabowo asking Trump to organize a call with his son Eric, both of whom hold positions at the family business.

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

Here are several additional noteworthy errors:

Transplant Procedures and Everlasting Life

During a defense ceremony in Beijing in early autumn, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's head Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing organ replacement as a approach for prolonging life.

"Vital organs can be repeatedly transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and it's possible to even achieve immortality," the Russian translator was recorded stating.

Xi, who was off camera, responded in Chinese: "Experts forecast that in the current era people may reach 150 years old."

A conversation heard between China's leader 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 joked about the situation of residents in the Pacific experiencing ocean encroachment.

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

Observing how a migration discussion was running on "Cape York time", Abbott responded: "We had a bit of that up in Port Moresby."

Dutton added: "Schedules become irrelevant when you're about to have the ocean reaching your home."

The comments sparked outrage from Pacific Islands and environmentalists, while the opposition Labor party demanded Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Bigoted Woman'

While serving as UK PM Gordon Brown was on the trail in 2010, he faced a constituent who questioned him on immigration and the economy.

Remaining connected to a broadcast microphone when he entered the car, Brown was recorded stating: "That was a disaster – they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? Absurd."

When questioned about she had said, he answered: "Everything, she was just a prejudiced person."

The scandal received extensive coverage for an extended period and Brown went on to lose the political race.

'I Can't Stand Netanyahu. He's a Liar.'

Ex-American leader Barack Obama was in conversation at the international conference in Cannes in 2011 with then French president Nicolas Sarkozy when their remarks about Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a active recording device.

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

According to a version from a French interpreter quoted by Reuters, Obama responded: "You're fed up with him but I have to deal with him frequently than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A classic recording incident from former White House hopeful George W. Bush happened as he made a disparaging remark about a reporter from The New York Times.

The GOP candidate was didn't realize that a microphone was live when he turned to Dick Cheney at a Labor Day rally and said, "That's Adam Clymer, complete jerk from the New York Times."

Cheney responded: "Oh yeah, that's true, big time."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Terry Spence
Terry Spence

A seasoned IT consultant with over 10 years of experience in software architecture and digital transformation.