President Donald Trump joked about the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor when
asked why allies like Japan were not informed before his strike on Iran.
Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office,
Trump said, “One thing, you don’t want to signal too much… Who knows better
about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” The Iran
strike, ordered nearly three weeks ago, has heightened regional tensions and
raised questions about allied coordination.