🔗 Share this article

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

This was just one in a string of gaffes committed by international figures when they assume they're off the record.

Below are several additional noteworthy errors:

Transplant Procedures and Immortality

At a military parade in Beijing in early autumn, China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's head Vladimir Putin were overheard discussing organ transplants as a method for extending lifespan.

"Vital organs can be repeatedly replaced. The longer you live, the younger you become, and it's possible to even reach eternal life," the Russian translator was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, answered in Chinese: "Experts forecast that in the current era humans may live to 150 years old."

Dialogue heard between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Water Lapping at Your Door'

Ex-Australia immigration minister Peter Dutton came under fire in 2015 when he made light about the situation of residents in the Pacific experiencing rising sea levels.

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: "There was a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

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

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

Peter Dutton overheard joking with Tony Abbott about coastal flooding

'Bigoted Woman'

While serving as UK PM Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he faced a constituent who questioned him on migration and the economic situation.

Still wired up to a Sky news 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."

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

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

'I Cannot Bear Netanyahu. He's a Liar.'

Ex-American leader Barack Obama was in conversation at the international conference in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader Nicolas Sarkozy when their comments about Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were picked up by a live microphone.

Sarkozy stated: "I can't stand Netanyahu. He's a liar."

Per a account from a translator cited by Reuters, Obama responded: "You've had enough but I must work with him frequently than you."

'Total ***hole'

A vintage recording incident from former White House hopeful George W. Bush occurred when he made a disparaging remark about a reporter from The New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee was didn't realize that a microphone was live when he turned to Dick Cheney at a Labor Day rally and remarked, "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