Blunders From World Leaders When They Think They're in Private

This week, Indonesia's leader Prabowo Subianto thought he was having a confidential discussion with American leader Donald Trump at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt.

However, a hot-mic incident revealed Prabowo requesting Trump to arrange a meeting with his son Eric, both of whom serve as executives at the family business.

It represented only one in a series of missteps committed by international figures thinking no one can hear them.

Here are five other memorable errors:

Organ Transplants and Everlasting Life

During a defense ceremony in Beijing in early autumn, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were overheard talking about organ replacement as a method for prolonging life.

"Human organs can be repeatedly transplanted. The longer you live, the more youthful you get, and you can even reach eternal life," Putin's interpreter was recorded stating.

Xi, who was not visible, answered in Chinese: "Experts forecast that in this century humans may reach 150 years old."

Dialogue recorded from Chinese president Xi Jinping and Moscow's head Vladimir Putin

'Sea Rising at Your Door'

Ex-Australia border protection chief Peter Dutton came under fire in 2015 when he joked about the plight of residents in the Pacific facing ocean encroachment.

Dutton was conversing with then-prime minister Tony Abbott, who had just returned from climate change talks with regional heads in Port Moresby.

Observing how a migration discussion was running on "Cape York time", Abbott replied: "We had a similar situation up in Port Moresby."

Dutton commented: "Time doesn't mean anything when you're about to have the ocean reaching your home."

These remarks provoked anger from Pacific Islands and climate activists, while the political opponents demanded Dutton to apologise.

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 immigration and the economy.

Still wired up to a broadcast microphone when he entered the car, Brown was recorded stating: "That was a disaster โ€“ they should never have put me with that individual. Whose idea was that? Ridiculous."

When questioned about she had said, he replied: "Everything, she was just a bigoted woman."

The scandal dominated headlines for an extended period and Brown ultimately lost the election.

'I Cannot Bear Netanyahu. He Lies.'

Former US president Barack Obama was in conversation at the international conference in Cannes in 2011 with France's leader Nicolas Sarkozy when their comments about Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were captured by a active recording device.

Sarkozy stated: "I can't stand Netanyahu. He deceives."

Per a version from a translator quoted by Reuters, Obama replied: "You've had enough but I must work with him more often than you."

'Major League ***hole'

A vintage recording incident from then US presidential candidate George W. Bush happened as he made a disparaging remark about a journalist 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, "That's Adam Clymer, major league asshole from the New York Times."

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

Bush at a Labour rally in 2000
Troy White
Troy White

Tech enthusiast and writer passionate about emerging technologies and their impact on society.