Slip-ups Made by Global Leaders When They Think No One Is Listening

This week, Indonesia's leader Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a private conversation with US President Donald Trump during Middle East peace talks in Egypt.

Instead, a hot-mic incident revealed Prabowo requesting Trump to arrange a meeting with his son Don Jr, both of whom serve as executives at the family business.

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

Below are five other noteworthy errors:

Transplant Procedures and Immortality

At a military parade in Beijing this September, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing organ transplants as a approach for extending lifespan.

"Vital organs can be repeatedly transplanted. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and you can even achieve immortality," Putin's interpreter was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, answered in Chinese: "Some predict that in this century people may live to 150 years old."

A conversation recorded from China's leader Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Ex-Australia border protection chief Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the situation of residents in the Pacific experiencing ocean encroachment.

Dutton was speaking to former PM Tony Abbott, who had just returned from environmental talks with regional heads in Port Moresby.

Noting that a meeting about refugees was running on "Cape York time", Abbott replied: "We had a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

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

The comments sparked outrage from Pacific Islands and climate activists, while the opposition Labor party called for Dutton to issue an apology.

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Bigoted Woman'

As Labour prime minister Gordon Brown was on the trail in 2010, he faced a constituent who questioned him on immigration and the economic situation.

Remaining connected to a Sky news microphone when he got into his vehicle, Brown was heard saying: "That went terribly – they should not have placed me with that woman. Whose idea was that? Ridiculous."

Asked what she had said, he replied: "Everything, she was just a bigoted woman."

This incident received extensive coverage for weeks and Brown ultimately lost the political race.

'I Can't Stand Netanyahu. He Lies.'

Former US president Barack Obama was in discussion at the G20 summit in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader 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 account from a French interpreter cited by Reuters, Obama responded: "You're fed up with him but I have to deal with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A classic hot-mic moment from former White House hopeful George W. Bush occurred when he made a negative comment about a journalist from The New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee was didn't realize that a recording device was active when he leaned over to Dick Cheney at a political event and said, "There's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

Cheney answered: "Absolutely, that's true, big time."

Bush at a political gathering in 2000
Angela Brown
Angela Brown

A forward-thinking strategist with over a decade of experience in business development and digital transformation.