Slip-ups From Global Heads of State Believing No One Is Listening

This week, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believed he was a private conversation with American leader Donald Trump at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt.

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

It represented only one in a string of gaffes made by world leaders when they assume no one can hear them.

Here are five other memorable errors:

Transplant Procedures and Immortality

At a military parade in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's head Vladimir Putin were overheard talking about organ replacement as a approach for prolonging life.

"Human organs can be continuously replaced. The longer you live, the younger you become, and you can even achieve immortality," the Russian translator was heard saying.

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

Dialogue heard between China's leader Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Ex-Australia immigration minister Peter Dutton came under fire in 2015 when he made light about the plight of residents in the Pacific facing ocean encroachment.

Dutton was conversing with former PM 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 "delayed schedule", Abbott replied: "There was a bit of that up in Port Moresby."

Dutton commented: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have water lapping at your door."

The comments provoked anger from regional nations and environmentalists, while the political opponents called for Dutton to issue an apology.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about rising sea levels

'Bigoted Woman'

As Labour prime minister Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he faced a voter who questioned him on migration and the economic situation.

Remaining connected to a broadcast microphone when he entered the car, Brown was recorded stating: "That went terribly – they should not have placed me with that individual. Whose idea was that? Absurd."

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

This incident 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.'

Former US president 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 picked up by a active recording device.

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

Per a account from a translator quoted by Reuters, Obama replied: "You've had enough but I must work with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A vintage recording incident from former White House hopeful George W. Bush happened as he made a negative comment about a journalist from The New York Times.

The GOP candidate was didn't realize that a microphone was live when he leaned over to Dick Cheney at a Labor Day rally and remarked, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

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

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Richard Ward
Richard Ward

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about emerging technologies and their impact on society.