🔗 Share this article

Recently, Indonesia's leader Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a confidential discussion with US President Donald Trump during Middle East peace talks in Egypt.

However, a hot-mic incident captured Prabowo asking Trump to organize a call with his son Eric, both of whom hold positions at the family business.

This was just one in a string of gaffes made by world leaders when they assume no one can hear them.

Below are several additional noteworthy blunders:

Organ Transplants and Everlasting Life

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

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

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

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

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Former Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the plight of residents in the Pacific experiencing ocean encroachment.

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

Noting that a migration discussion was running on "delayed schedule", Abbott replied: "There was a bit of that up in Port Moresby."

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

The comments sparked outrage from Pacific Islands and climate activists, while the opposition Labor party called for 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 encountered a constituent who challenged him on immigration and the economic situation.

Remaining connected to a broadcast microphone when he entered the car, Brown was heard saying: "That was a disaster – they should not have placed me with that woman. Who thought of that? Ridiculous."

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

This incident received extensive coverage for weeks 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 Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were picked up by a active recording device.

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

According to a account from a French interpreter quoted by Reuters, Obama responded: "You've had enough but I must work with him frequently than you."

'Total ***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 unaware 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 answered: "Absolutely, that's true, big time."

Bush at a Labour rally in 2000