Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto became the latest world leader to fall foul of a 'hot mic' gaffe, when he was overheard asking US President Donald Trump to arrange a call with his sons Eric or Don Jr during the Gaza peace summit in Egypt. The incident is one of several embarrassing moments where leaders thought their conversations were private.
At a military parade in Beijing in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were caught discussing organ transplants as a means of prolonging life. Putin's interpreter was heard saying, 'Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and even achieve immortality,' with Xi responding that some predict humans could live to 150 years old.
Former Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton sparked outrage in 2015 when he joked about rising sea levels in the Pacific. Speaking to then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Dutton said, 'Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have water lapping at your door,' prompting calls for an apology from the opposition and environmentalists.
In 2010, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown was caught on a live microphone calling a voter a 'bigoted woman' after she challenged him on immigration and the economy. The scandal dominated headlines, and Brown later lost the general election.
Other notable gaffes include former US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy criticising Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu at the 2011 G20 summit, and George W Bush calling a New York Times reporter a 'major league asshole' during his 2000 presidential campaign.
