He explained why US allies, including Japan, were not informed about the attack on Iran, saying, “One thing—you don’t want to signal too much. When we go in, we go in very hard, and we didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise.”

He continued, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”

The POTUS further added that Japan believes in surprise much more than the United States. Takaichi, who was sitting right next to him, appeared visibly shaken following the remark. Many users criticised the POTUS for comments that were used to justify the lack of transparency among allies ahead of the attack.

“By invoking a 1941 attack that killed thousands to defend a lack of transparency over strikes on Iran, the statement collapses a historical tragedy into a rhetorical prop, reducing memory to a tool of convenience rather than reflection,” a user wrote on X.

What was the 1941 Pearl Harbour Attack?

World War II (1939–1945) is regarded as the deadliest conflict the world has ever witnessed, leading to more than 60 million deaths. The war was fought between the Allied and Axis powers. The Allies were led by Britain and its Empire, the United States, the Soviet Union, and France, whereas the Axis powers included Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy.

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The United States maintained a neutral position in World War II until December 7, 1941. That day is widely known for the surprise attack on the US Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. According to a report by History.com, the attack killed more than 2,000 U.S. personnel, with an additional 1,178 wounded. During the surprise attack, more than 100 Japanese soldiers were killed.

Decades later, Trump’s reference to the deadly attack during a bilateral meeting with Japan, now an ally-while explaining why they were not informed about the attack on Iran was criticised by several observers. Many users on X reminded the POTUS that Japan is a close ally of the United States.