🔗 Share this article

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

Instead, a live microphone situation captured Prabowo asking Trump to organize a meeting with his son Eric, who serve as executives at the Trump organization.

This was just one in a series of missteps committed by world leaders thinking they're off the record.

Below are several additional noteworthy blunders:

Organ Transplants 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 talking about organ transplants as a method for prolonging life.

"Human organs can be repeatedly transplanted. The more you extend your life, the younger you become, and you can even reach eternal life," the Russian translator was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, responded in Chinese: "Some predict that in this century humans 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'

Former Australian border protection chief Peter Dutton faced criticism in 2015 when he made light about the situation of residents in the Pacific facing rising sea levels.

Dutton was conversing with then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who had recently come back 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 added: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have the ocean reaching your home."

These remarks provoked anger from regional nations and environmentalists, while the political opponents called for Dutton to apologise.

Peter Dutton recorded making jokes with Tony Abbott about rising sea levels

'Prejudiced Voter'

As Labour prime minister Gordon Brown was campaigning in 2010, he encountered a constituent who challenged him on migration and the economy.

Still wired up to a Sky news microphone when he entered the car, Brown was heard saying: "That went terribly – they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? Absurd."

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

The scandal received extensive coverage for an extended period and Brown ultimately lost the political race.

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

Ex-American leader Barack Obama was in conversation at the G20 summit in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader Nicolas Sarkozy when their remarks about Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a active recording device.

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

According to a version from a translator cited by Reuters, Obama responded: "You've had enough but I must work 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 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 remarked, "That's Adam Clymer, complete jerk from the New York Times."

Cheney responded: "Absolutely, he is, big time."

Bush at a Labour rally in 2000